diff --git a/Lib/asyncio/selector_events.py b/Lib/asyncio/selector_events.py
index c7df8d8dd00..86a8d23c09a 100644
--- a/Lib/asyncio/selector_events.py
+++ b/Lib/asyncio/selector_events.py
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ def pause_reading(self):
 
     def resume_reading(self):
         if not self._paused:
-            raise ('Not paused')
+            raise RuntimeError('Not paused')
         self._paused = False
         if self._closing:
             return
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_asyncio/test_selector_events.py b/Lib/test/test_asyncio/test_selector_events.py
index 0735237ccad..d7fafab6917 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_asyncio/test_selector_events.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_asyncio/test_selector_events.py
@@ -711,6 +711,8 @@ def test_pause_resume_reading(self):
         tr.resume_reading()
         self.assertFalse(tr._paused)
         self.loop.assert_reader(7, tr._read_ready)
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
+            tr.resume_reading()
 
     def test_read_ready(self):
         transport = _SelectorSocketTransport(
@@ -1125,6 +1127,8 @@ def test_pause_resume_reading(self):
         tr.resume_reading()
         self.assertFalse(tr._paused)
         self.loop.assert_reader(1, tr._read_ready)
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
+            tr.resume_reading()
 
     def test_write(self):
         transport = self._make_one()