diff --git a/src/variables.jl b/src/variables.jl
index df70cf9e9a3..203722e9e00 100644
--- a/src/variables.jl
+++ b/src/variables.jl
@@ -1750,6 +1750,27 @@ function _moi_add_variable(
     return var_ref
 end
 
+_to_value(::Type{T}, value::T, ::String) where {T} = value
+
+function _to_value(::Type{T}, value, msg::String) where {T}
+    try
+        return convert(T, value)
+    catch
+        error(
+            "Unable to use `$value::$(typeof(value))` as the $msg of a " *
+            "variable because it is not convertable to type `::$T`.",
+        )
+    end
+end
+
+function _to_value(::Type{T}, value::AbstractJuMPScalar, msg::String) where {T}
+    return error(
+        "Unable to use `$value::$(typeof(value))` as the $msg of a variable. " *
+        "The $msg must be a constant value of type `::$T`. You cannot use " *
+        "JuMP variables or expressions.",
+    )
+end
+
 function _moi_constrain_variable(
     moi_backend::MOI.ModelLike,
     index,
@@ -1762,21 +1783,21 @@ function _moi_constrain_variable(
         _moi_add_constraint(
             moi_backend,
             index,
-            MOI.GreaterThan{T}(info.lower_bound),
+            MOI.GreaterThan{T}(_to_value(T, info.lower_bound, "lower bound")),
         )
     end
     if info.has_ub
         _moi_add_constraint(
             moi_backend,
             index,
-            MOI.LessThan{T}(info.upper_bound),
+            MOI.LessThan{T}(_to_value(T, info.upper_bound, "upper bound")),
         )
     end
     if info.has_fix
         _moi_add_constraint(
             moi_backend,
             index,
-            MOI.EqualTo{T}(info.fixed_value),
+            MOI.EqualTo{T}(_to_value(T, info.fixed_value, "fixed value")),
         )
     end
     if info.binary
@@ -1790,7 +1811,7 @@ function _moi_constrain_variable(
             moi_backend,
             MOI.VariablePrimalStart(),
             index,
-            convert(T, info.start),
+            _to_value(T, info.start, "start value"),
         )
     end
 end
diff --git a/test/test_variable.jl b/test/test_variable.jl
index 4e4a2221f91..6f3f50205ae 100644
--- a/test/test_variable.jl
+++ b/test/test_variable.jl
@@ -1569,4 +1569,36 @@ function test_variable_ref_type_unsupported()
     return
 end
 
+function test_bad_bound_types()
+    T = Int
+    model = GenericModel{T}()
+    function err(value, msg, T)
+        return ErrorException(
+            "Unable to use `$value::$(typeof(value))` as the $msg of a " *
+            "variable because it is not convertable to type `::$T`.",
+        )
+    end
+    for v in (1.2, "abc", :d)
+        @test_throws err(v, "upper bound", T) @variable(model, x <= v)
+        @test_throws err(v, "lower bound", T) @variable(model, x >= v)
+        @test_throws err(v, "fixed value", T) @variable(model, x == v)
+        @test_throws err(v, "start value", T) @variable(model, x, start = v)
+    end
+    function err2(value, msg, T)
+        return ErrorException(
+            "Unable to use `$value::$(typeof(value))` as the $msg of a variable. " *
+            "The $msg must be a constant value of type `::$T`. You cannot use " *
+            "JuMP variables or expressions.",
+        )
+    end
+    @variable(model, y)
+    for v in (y, T(2) * y, sin(y))
+        @test_throws err2(v, "upper bound", T) @variable(model, x <= v)
+        @test_throws err2(v, "lower bound", T) @variable(model, x >= v)
+        @test_throws err2(v, "fixed value", T) @variable(model, x == v)
+        @test_throws err2(v, "start value", T) @variable(model, x, start = v)
+    end
+    return
+end
+
 end  # module TestVariable