diff --git a/django/utils/datastructures.py b/django/utils/datastructures.py
index 740ad5a86d..871b016715 100644
--- a/django/utils/datastructures.py
+++ b/django/utils/datastructures.py
@@ -194,16 +194,15 @@ class MultiValueDict(dict):
         if len(args) > 1:
             raise TypeError("update expected at most 1 argument, got %d" % len(args))
         if args:
-            other_dict = args[0]
-            if isinstance(other_dict, MultiValueDict):
-                for key, value_list in other_dict.lists():
+            arg = args[0]
+            if isinstance(arg, MultiValueDict):
+                for key, value_list in arg.lists():
                     self.setlistdefault(key).extend(value_list)
             else:
-                try:
-                    for key, value in other_dict.items():
-                        self.setlistdefault(key).append(value)
-                except TypeError:
-                    raise ValueError("MultiValueDict.update() takes either a MultiValueDict or dictionary")
+                if isinstance(arg, Mapping):
+                    arg = arg.items()
+                for key, value in arg:
+                    self.setlistdefault(key).append(value)
         for key, value in kwargs.items():
             self.setlistdefault(key).append(value)
 
diff --git a/tests/utils_tests/test_datastructures.py b/tests/utils_tests/test_datastructures.py
index 940c8c9e7d..45d172f984 100644
--- a/tests/utils_tests/test_datastructures.py
+++ b/tests/utils_tests/test_datastructures.py
@@ -195,6 +195,35 @@ class MultiValueDictTests(SimpleTestCase):
         x.update(a=4, b=5)
         self.assertEqual(list(x.lists()), [('a', [1, 4]), ('b', [2, 5]), ('c', [3])])
 
+    def test_update_with_empty_iterable(self):
+        for value in ['', b'', (), [], set(), {}]:
+            d = MultiValueDict()
+            d.update(value)
+            self.assertEqual(d, MultiValueDict())
+
+    def test_update_with_iterable_of_pairs(self):
+        for value in [(('a', 1),), [('a', 1)], {('a', 1)}]:
+            d = MultiValueDict()
+            d.update(value)
+            self.assertEqual(d, MultiValueDict({'a': [1]}))
+
+    def test_update_raises_correct_exceptions(self):
+        # MultiValueDict.update() raises equivalent exceptions to
+        # dict.update().
+        # Non-iterable values raise TypeError.
+        for value in [None, True, False, 123, 123.45]:
+            with self.subTest(value), self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+                MultiValueDict().update(value)
+        # Iterables of objects that cannot be unpacked raise TypeError.
+        for value in [b'123', b'abc', (1, 2, 3), [1, 2, 3], {1, 2, 3}]:
+            with self.subTest(value), self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+                MultiValueDict().update(value)
+        # Iterables of unpackable objects with incorrect number of items raise
+        # ValueError.
+        for value in ['123', 'abc', ('a', 'b', 'c'), ['a', 'b', 'c'], {'a', 'b', 'c'}]:
+            with self.subTest(value), self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+                MultiValueDict().update(value)
+
 
 class ImmutableListTests(SimpleTestCase):