diff --git a/jax/core.py b/jax/core.py
index 578f9e2e2060..aa540dcfc726 100644
--- a/jax/core.py
+++ b/jax/core.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 from operator import attrgetter
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from collections import namedtuple
-from functools import total_ordering, reduce
+from functools import total_ordering
 import itertools as it
 from weakref import ref
 import threading
@@ -643,22 +643,14 @@ def full_lower(val):
   else:
     return val
 
-def find_top_trace(args) -> Optional[Tracer]:
-  """Find the tracer with the highest-level, or None. """
-  def check_arg(top_so_far: Optional[Tracer], arg) -> Optional[Tracer]:
-    if isinstance(arg, Tracer):
-      return (top_so_far
-              if top_so_far and top_so_far.level >= arg._trace.level else arg._trace)
-    # Raises error here for bind on LAX primitives
-    if not valid_jaxtype(arg):
-      raise TypeError(f"Argument '{arg}' of type {type(arg)} is not a valid JAX type")
-    return top_so_far
-
-  top_trace = reduce(check_arg, args, None)  # type: ignore[wrong-arg-types]
-  if top_trace is not None:
-    return type(top_trace)(top_trace.master, cur_sublevel())  # type: ignore[call-arg]
-  else:
-    return None
+def find_top_trace(xs):
+ try:
+   top_trace = max((x._trace for x in xs if isinstance(x, Tracer)),
+                   key=attrgetter('level'))
+ except ValueError:
+   return None
+ else:
+   return type(top_trace)(top_trace.master, cur_sublevel())
 
 @contextmanager
 def initial_style_staging():
@@ -729,7 +721,7 @@ def concrete_aval(x):
   for typ in type(x).mro():
     handler = pytype_aval_mappings.get(typ)
     if handler: return handler(x)
-  raise TypeError(f"{type(x)} is not a valid Jax type")
+  raise TypeError(f"{type(x)} is not a valid JAX type")
 
 
 def get_aval(x):
diff --git a/jax/interpreters/xla.py b/jax/interpreters/xla.py
index 543a4261f962..8ffcd3d7841b 100644
--- a/jax/interpreters/xla.py
+++ b/jax/interpreters/xla.py
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ def abstractify(x) -> core.AbstractValue:
   for typ in typ.mro():
     aval_fn = pytype_aval_mappings.get(typ)
     if aval_fn: return aval_fn(x)
-  raise TypeError(f"No abstraction handler for type: {type(x)}")
+  raise TypeError(f"Argument '{x}' of type '{type(x)}' is not a valid JAX type")
 
 def _make_abstract_python_scalar(typ, _):
   return ShapedArray((), dtypes.python_scalar_dtypes[typ], weak_type=True)
diff --git a/tests/api_test.py b/tests/api_test.py
index 73ac3a1168fe..3c7121f5062c 100644
--- a/tests/api_test.py
+++ b/tests/api_test.py
@@ -1765,6 +1765,12 @@ def f(a, b):
     with self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, msg):
       g(jnp.ones((1, 1)), b=1)
 
+  def test_primitive_jaxtype_error(self):
+    with self.assertRaisesRegex(
+        TypeError, "Argument .* of type .* is not a valid JAX type"):
+      lax.add(1, 'hi')
+
+
 class JaxprTest(jtu.JaxTestCase):
 
   def test_scalar_literals(self):