diff --git a/kernel_tuner/utils/nvcuda.py b/kernel_tuner/utils/nvcuda.py
index 83dca98a..25eddd00 100644
--- a/kernel_tuner/utils/nvcuda.py
+++ b/kernel_tuner/utils/nvcuda.py
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@
 
 def cuda_error_check(error):
     """Checking the status of CUDA calls using the NVIDIA cuda-python backend."""
+    # cuda-python always returns a tuple, also for calls that only return a status, e.g. (CUresult,)
+    if isinstance(error, tuple) and len(error) == 1:
+        error = error[0]
     if isinstance(error, driver.CUresult):
         if error != driver.CUresult.CUDA_SUCCESS:
             _, name = driver.cuGetErrorName(error)
@@ -60,6 +63,8 @@ def cuda_error_check(error):
         if error != nvrtc.nvrtcResult.NVRTC_SUCCESS:
             _, desc = nvrtc.nvrtcGetErrorString(error)
             raise RuntimeError(f"NVRTC error: {desc.decode()}")
+    else:
+        raise TypeError(f"Unable to check CUDA status of unexpected type {type(error).__name__}: {error!r}")
 
 
 def _check(call_result):