diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/contour.py b/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
index c233b75ff091..aa7cc0a6a4a8 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
@@ -854,7 +854,7 @@ def __init__(self, ax, *args, **kwargs):
                 col = mcoll.LineCollection(segs,
                                      antialiaseds=aa,
                                      linewidths=width,
-                                     linestyle=lstyle,
+                                     linestyle=[lstyle],
                                      alpha=self.alpha,
                                      transform=self.get_transform(),
                                      zorder=zorder)