diff --git a/openmc/checkvalue.py b/openmc/checkvalue.py
index f9e05e3f8..5b5f302e5 100644
--- a/openmc/checkvalue.py
+++ b/openmc/checkvalue.py
@@ -1,4 +1,16 @@
 from collections import Iterable
+from numbers import Integral
+
+import numpy as np
+
+def _isinstance(value, expected_type):
+    """A Numpy-aware replacement for isinstance"""
+    np_ints = [np.intc, np.intp, np.int8, np.int16, np.int32, np.int64,
+               np.uint8, np.uint16, np.uint32, np.uint64]
+    if expected_type is Integral:
+        types = np_ints + [Integral]
+        return any(isinstance(value, t) for t in types)
+    return isinstance(value, expected_type)
 
 def check_type(name, value, expected_type, expected_iter_type=None):
     """Ensure that an object is of an expected type. Optionally, if the object is
@@ -18,14 +30,14 @@ def check_type(name, value, expected_type, expected_iter_type=None):
 
     """
 
-    if not isinstance(value, expected_type):
+    if not _isinstance(value, expected_type):
         msg = 'Unable to set {0} to {1} which is not of type {2}'.format(
             name, value, expected_type.__name__)
         raise ValueError(msg)
 
     if expected_iter_type:
         for item in value:
-            if not isinstance(item, expected_iter_type):
+            if not _isinstance(item, expected_iter_type):
                 msg = 'Unable to set {0} to {1} since each item must be ' \
                       'of type {2}'.format(name, value,
                                            expected_iter_type.__name__)
@@ -74,7 +86,7 @@ def check_iterable_type(name, value, expected_type, min_depth=1, max_depth=1):
 
         # If this item is of the expected type, then we've reached the bottom
         # level of this branch.
-        if isinstance(current_item, expected_type):
+        if _isinstance(current_item, expected_type):
             # Is this deep enough?
             if len(tree) < min_depth:
                 msg = 'Error setting {0}: The item at {1} does not meet the ' \
diff --git a/openmc/filter.py b/openmc/filter.py
index 09928e235..ca5d430a9 100644
--- a/openmc/filter.py
+++ b/openmc/filter.py
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ import numpy as np
 
 from openmc import Mesh
 from openmc.constants import *
-from openmc.checkvalue import check_type
+from openmc.checkvalue import check_type, check_iterable_type, \
+                              check_greater_than
 
 class Filter(object):
     """A filter used to constrain a tally to a specific criterion, e.g. only tally
@@ -134,15 +135,9 @@ class Filter(object):
 
         if self._type in ['cell', 'cellborn', 'surface', 'material',
                           'universe', 'distribcell']:
+            check_iterable_type('filter bins', bins, Integral)
             for edge in bins:
-                if not isinstance(edge, Integral):
-                    msg = 'Unable to add bin "{0}" to a {1} Filter since ' \
-                          'it is not an integer'.format(edge, self._type)
-                    raise ValueError(msg)
-                elif edge < 0:
-                    msg = 'Unable to add bin "{0}" to a {1} Filter since ' \
-                          'it is negative'.format(edge, self._type)
-                    raise ValueError(msg)
+                check_greater_than('filter bin', edge, 0, equality=True)
 
         elif self._type in ['energy', 'energyout']:
             for edge in bins:
@@ -185,12 +180,8 @@ class Filter(object):
     # FIXME
     @num_bins.setter
     def num_bins(self, num_bins):
-        if not isinstance(num_bins, Integral) or num_bins < 0:
-            msg = 'Unable to set the number of bins "{0}" for a {1} Filter ' \
-                  'since it is not a positive ' \
-                  'integer'.format(num_bins, self._type)
-            raise ValueError(msg)
-
+        check_type('filter num_bins', num_bins, Integral)
+        check_greater_than('filter num_bins', num_bins, 0, equality=True)
         self._num_bins = num_bins
 
     @mesh.setter