diff --git a/django/db/models/base.py b/django/db/models/base.py
index 42b0a75728..219a1b1aa2 100644
--- a/django/db/models/base.py
+++ b/django/db/models/base.py
@@ -472,8 +472,7 @@ class Model(six.with_metaclass(ModelBase)):
         # overrides it. It should be one or the other; don't duplicate the work
         # The reason for the kwargs check is that standard iterator passes in by
         # args, and instantiation for iteration is 33% faster.
-        args_len = len(args)
-        if args_len > len(self._meta.concrete_fields):
+        if len(args) > len(self._meta.concrete_fields):
             # Daft, but matches old exception sans the err msg.
             raise IndexError("Number of args exceeds number of fields")
 
diff --git a/tests/model_regress/tests.py b/tests/model_regress/tests.py
index 3990143e2d..bd8e927be6 100644
--- a/tests/model_regress/tests.py
+++ b/tests/model_regress/tests.py
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ from .models import (
 
 
 class ModelTests(TestCase):
+    def test_model_init_too_many_args(self):
+        msg = "Number of args exceeds number of fields"
+        with self.assertRaisesMessage(IndexError, msg):
+            Worker(1, 2, 3, 4)
+
     # The bug is that the following queries would raise:
     # "TypeError: Related Field has invalid lookup: gte"
     def test_related_gte_lookup(self):