diff --git a/python/paddle/distributed/auto_parallel/interface.py b/python/paddle/distributed/auto_parallel/interface.py
index 348edaef68198ce511e83b55956186a4ecad0349..30055c5b763a140faa0bb534579e2480e74651f6 100644
--- a/python/paddle/distributed/auto_parallel/interface.py
+++ b/python/paddle/distributed/auto_parallel/interface.py
@@ -271,12 +271,22 @@ class ProcessMesh(object):
 
 
 def _dim_mapping_checker(tensor, mesh, dim_mapping):
-    assert len(tensor.shape) == len(dim_mapping)
+    assert isinstance(mesh,
+                      ProcessMesh), 'The type of mesh must be ProcessMesh.'
+    assert isinstance(dim_mapping,
+                      list), 'The type of dim_mapping must be list.'
+    assert len(tensor.shape) == len(dim_mapping), (
+        'The number of dimensions '
+        'of tensor must be the same as the length of its corresponding '
+        'dim_mapping.')
     mesh_dim = len(mesh.topology)
     dim_set = set()
     for i in range(len(dim_mapping)):
-        assert dim_mapping[i] == -1 or (dim_mapping[i] < mesh_dim and
-                                        dim_mapping[i] >= 0)
+        assert dim_mapping[i] == -1 or (
+            dim_mapping[i] < mesh_dim and dim_mapping[i] >= 0), (
+                'Each element '
+                'in dim_mapping must be greater than zero and less than the '
+                'length of its corresponding topology, or it must be -1.')
         if dim_mapping[i] >= 0:
             assert dim_mapping[i] not in dim_set
             dim_set.add(dim_mapping[i])
@@ -347,6 +357,7 @@ def set_shard_mask(x, mask):
             mesh = dist.ProcessMesh([[2, 4, 5], [0, 1, 3]])
             mask = [[1, 0, 1], [0, 1, 0]]
             x = paddle.ones([4, 6])
+            dist.shard_tensor(x, mesh, [-1, 1])
             dist.set_shard_mask(x, mask)
 
     """
@@ -355,6 +366,9 @@ def set_shard_mask(x, mask):
     np_mask = numpy.array(mask)
     min_ele = numpy.min(np_mask)
     max_ele = numpy.max(np_mask)
+    mesh_attr_name = _append_attr_suffix('mesh_id')
+    assert x._has_attr(mesh_attr_name), \
+        "Please set process mesh for the variable firstly."
     assert min_ele >= 0 and max_ele <= 1, "Elements in mask must be 0 or 1."
     x_mesh = x.process_mesh
     assert x_mesh, "Please set process mesh for the variable firstly."
@@ -403,7 +417,15 @@ def shard_op(op_fn, mesh, dim_mapping_dict, **kwargs):
     op_size = len(main_block.ops)
     output = op_fn(**kwargs)
     new_op_size = len(main_block.ops)
-    if dim_mapping_dict is None: dim_mapping_dict = dict()
+    if dim_mapping_dict is None:
+        dim_mapping_dict = dict()
+    else:
+        assert isinstance(dim_mapping_dict,
+                          dict), 'The type of dim_mapping_dict must be dict.'
+        for var_name in dim_mapping_dict.keys():
+            dim_mapping = dim_mapping_dict[var_name]
+            tensor = main_block.var(var_name)
+            _dim_mapping_checker(tensor, mesh, dim_mapping)
     for idx in range(op_size, new_op_size):
         op = main_block.ops[idx]
         attr_name = _append_attr_suffix('mesh_id')
@@ -477,4 +499,5 @@ def set_pipeline_stage(stage):
     """
     from paddle.fluid.framework import _set_pipeline_stage
     _static_mode_check()
+    assert isinstance(stage, int), 'The type of stage must be int.'
     _set_pipeline_stage(stage)
diff --git a/python/paddle/fluid/tests/unittests/test_auto_parallel_api.py b/python/paddle/fluid/tests/unittests/test_auto_parallel_api.py
index 15981d461aed95b3305e15a27081b79f87839be7..3f1d692b72e984fe416968af3416ea0f2a210747 100644
--- a/python/paddle/fluid/tests/unittests/test_auto_parallel_api.py
+++ b/python/paddle/fluid/tests/unittests/test_auto_parallel_api.py
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ class TestAutoParallelAPI(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual(last_op.pipeline_stage, LAST_PP_STAGE)
 
-        DIMS_MAPPING1 = [0, 1, -1]
-        DIMS_MAPPING2 = [-1, 2, 0]
+        DIMS_MAPPING1 = [0, 1]
+        DIMS_MAPPING2 = [-1, 0]
         kwargs = {'x': data2, 'y': data3}
         dist.shard_op(
             paddle.add,