diff --git a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyclass.rs b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyclass.rs
index 2a7395796dc..5d17834b12b 100644
--- a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyclass.rs
+++ b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyclass.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ use syn::parse::{Parse, ParseStream};
 use syn::punctuated::Punctuated;
 use syn::{parse_quote, spanned::Spanned, Expr, Result, Token};
 
+/// If the class is derived from a Rust `struct` or `enum`.
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum PyClassKind {
+    Struct,
+    Enum,
+}
+
 /// The parsed arguments of the pyclass macro
 pub struct PyClassArgs {
     pub freelist: Option<syn::Expr>,
@@ -27,22 +34,28 @@ pub struct PyClassArgs {
     pub has_extends: bool,
     pub has_unsendable: bool,
     pub module: Option<syn::LitStr>,
+    pub class_kind: PyClassKind,
 }
 
-impl Parse for PyClassArgs {
-    fn parse(input: ParseStream) -> Result<Self> {
-        let mut slf = PyClassArgs::default();
-
+impl PyClassArgs {
+    fn parse(input: ParseStream, kind: PyClassKind) -> Result<Self> {
+        let mut slf = PyClassArgs::new(kind);
         let vars = Punctuated::<Expr, Token![,]>::parse_terminated(input)?;
         for expr in vars {
             slf.add_expr(&expr)?;
         }
         Ok(slf)
     }
-}
 
-impl Default for PyClassArgs {
-    fn default() -> Self {
+    pub fn parse_stuct_args(input: ParseStream) -> syn::Result<Self> {
+        Self::parse(input, PyClassKind::Struct)
+    }
+
+    pub fn parse_enum_args(input: ParseStream) -> syn::Result<Self> {
+        Self::parse(input, PyClassKind::Enum)
+    }
+
+    fn new(class_kind: PyClassKind) -> Self {
         PyClassArgs {
             freelist: None,
             name: None,
@@ -54,11 +67,10 @@ impl Default for PyClassArgs {
             is_basetype: false,
             has_extends: false,
             has_unsendable: false,
+            class_kind,
         }
     }
-}
 
-impl PyClassArgs {
     /// Adda single expression from the comma separated list in the attribute, which is
     /// either a single word or an assignment expression
     fn add_expr(&mut self, expr: &Expr) -> Result<()> {
@@ -116,6 +128,11 @@ impl PyClassArgs {
             },
             "extends" => match unwrap_group(&**right) {
                 syn::Expr::Path(exp) => {
+                    if self.class_kind == PyClassKind::Enum {
+                        return Err(
+                            err_spanned!( assign.span() =>  "enums cannot extend from other classes" ),
+                        );
+                    }
                     self.base = syn::TypePath {
                         path: exp.path.clone(),
                         qself: None,
@@ -150,6 +167,11 @@ impl PyClassArgs {
                 self.has_weaklist = true;
             }
             "subclass" => {
+                if self.class_kind == PyClassKind::Enum {
+                    return Err(
+                        err_spanned!(exp.span() => "enums can't be inherited by other classes"),
+                    );
+                }
                 self.is_basetype = true;
             }
             "dict" => {
@@ -496,8 +518,8 @@ struct VariantPyO3<'a> {
 }
 
 pub fn build_py_enum(
-    _args: PyClassArgs,
     enum_: &syn::ItemEnum,
+    args: PyClassArgs,
     method_type: PyClassMethodsType,
 ) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
     let variants: Vec<VariantPyO3> = enum_
@@ -505,17 +527,18 @@ pub fn build_py_enum(
         .iter()
         .map(|v| extract_variant_data(v))
         .collect::<syn::Result<_>>()?;
-    impl_enum(enum_, variants, method_type)
+    impl_enum(&enum_, args, variants, method_type)
 }
 
 fn impl_enum(
     enum_: &syn::ItemEnum,
+    attrs: PyClassArgs,
     variants: Vec<VariantPyO3>,
     methods_type: PyClassMethodsType,
 ) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
     let enum_name = &enum_.ident;
     let doc = utils::get_doc(&enum_.attrs, None);
-    let enum_cls = impl_enum_class(enum_name, doc, methods_type)?;
+    let enum_cls = impl_enum_class(enum_name, &attrs, doc, methods_type)?;
 
     let variant_consts = variants
         .iter()
@@ -548,16 +571,17 @@ fn impl_const(enum_: &syn::Ident, cls: &syn::Ident) -> syn::Result<TokenStream>
 }
 
 fn impl_enum_class(
-    typ: &syn::Ident,
+    cls: &syn::Ident,
+    _attr: &PyClassArgs,
     doc: PythonDoc,
     methods_type: PyClassMethodsType,
 ) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
-    let clsname = typ.to_string();
-    let extractext = impl_extractext(&typ);
-    let pyclassimpl_impl = PyClassImplBuilder::new(&typ, methods_type).doc(doc).build();
+    let clsname = cls.to_string();
+    let extractext = impl_extractext(cls);
+    let pyclassimpl_impl = PyClassImplBuilder::new(cls, methods_type).doc(doc).build();
 
     Ok(quote! {
-        unsafe impl pyo3::type_object::PyTypeInfo for #typ {
+        unsafe impl pyo3::type_object::PyTypeInfo for #cls {
             type AsRefTarget = pyo3::PyCell<Self>;
             const NAME: &'static str = #clsname;
             const MODULE: Option<&'static str> = None;
@@ -569,7 +593,7 @@ fn impl_enum_class(
             }
         }
 
-        impl pyo3::PyClass for #typ {
+        impl pyo3::PyClass for #cls {
             type Dict =  pyo3::pyclass_slots::PyClassDummySlot ;
             type WeakRef = pyo3::pyclass_slots::PyClassDummySlot;
             type BaseNativeType = pyo3::PyAny;
@@ -653,7 +677,7 @@ fn impl_descriptors(
 }
 
 /// Builds an implementation for `pyo3::class::impl_::PyClassImpl`
-pub struct PyClassImplBuilder<'a> {
+struct PyClassImplBuilder<'a> {
     cls: &'a syn::Ident,
     doc: Option<PythonDoc>,
     is_gc: bool,
diff --git a/pyo3-macros/src/lib.rs b/pyo3-macros/src/lib.rs
index 143114cc6dd..9ff9e49a04d 100644
--- a/pyo3-macros/src/lib.rs
+++ b/pyo3-macros/src/lib.rs
@@ -116,11 +116,10 @@ pub fn pyproto(_: TokenStream, input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
 #[proc_macro_attribute]
 pub fn pyclass(attr: TokenStream, input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
     use syn::Item;
-    let args = parse_macro_input!(attr as PyClassArgs);
     let item = parse_macro_input!(input as Item);
     match item {
-        Item::Struct(struct_) => pyclass_impl(args, struct_, methods_type()),
-        Item::Enum(enum_) => pyclass_enum_impl(args, enum_, methods_type()),
+        Item::Struct(struct_) => pyclass_impl(attr, struct_, methods_type()),
+        Item::Enum(enum_) => pyclass_enum_impl(attr, enum_, methods_type()),
         unsupported => {
             syn::Error::new_spanned(unsupported, "#[pyclass] only supports structs and enums.")
                 .to_compile_error()
@@ -209,10 +208,11 @@ pub fn derive_from_py_object(item: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
 }
 
 fn pyclass_impl(
-    args: PyClassArgs,
+    attrs: TokenStream,
     mut ast: syn::ItemStruct,
     methods_type: PyClassMethodsType,
 ) -> TokenStream {
+    let args = parse_macro_input!(attrs with PyClassArgs::parse_stuct_args);
     let expanded =
         build_py_class(&mut ast, &args, methods_type).unwrap_or_else(|e| e.to_compile_error());
 
@@ -224,12 +224,13 @@ fn pyclass_impl(
 }
 
 fn pyclass_enum_impl(
-    args: PyClassArgs,
+    attr: TokenStream,
     enum_: syn::ItemEnum,
     methods_type: PyClassMethodsType,
 ) -> TokenStream {
+    let args = parse_macro_input!(attr with PyClassArgs::parse_enum_args);
     let expanded =
-        build_py_enum(args, &enum_, methods_type).unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_compile_error());
+        build_py_enum(&enum_, args, methods_type).unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_compile_error());
 
     quote!(
         #enum_
diff --git a/tests/test_compile_error.rs b/tests/test_compile_error.rs
index 607bcf20620..93a74d48bae 100644
--- a/tests/test_compile_error.rs
+++ b/tests/test_compile_error.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ fn _test_compile_errors() {
     t.compile_fail("tests/ui/invalid_need_module_arg_position.rs");
     t.compile_fail("tests/ui/invalid_property_args.rs");
     t.compile_fail("tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_args.rs");
+    t.compile_fail("tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_enum.rs");
     t.compile_fail("tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_item.rs");
     t.compile_fail("tests/ui/invalid_pyfunctions.rs");
     t.compile_fail("tests/ui/invalid_pymethods.rs");
diff --git a/tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_enum.rs b/tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_enum.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..62f2a3d6bd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_enum.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+use pyo3::prelude::*;
+
+#[pyclass(subclass)]
+enum NotBaseClass {
+    x,
+    y,
+}
+
+#[pyclass(extends = PyList)]
+enum NotDrivedClass {
+    x,
+    y,
+}
+
+fn main() {}
diff --git a/tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_enum.stderr b/tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_enum.stderr
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2dd0e737e4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_enum.stderr
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+error: enums can't be inherited by other classes
+ --> tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_enum.rs:3:11
+  |
+3 | #[pyclass(subclass)]
+  |           ^^^^^^^^
+
+error: enums cannot extend from other classes
+ --> tests/ui/invalid_pyclass_enum.rs:9:11
+  |
+9 | #[pyclass(extends = PyList)]
+  |           ^^^^^^^