diff --git a/CHANGES.current b/CHANGES.current
index 4fc30370a..60023a0c6 100644
--- a/CHANGES.current
+++ b/CHANGES.current
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ See the RELEASENOTES file for a summary of changes in each release.
 Version 3.0.6 (in progress)
 ===========================
 
+2015-04-24: wsfulton
+            [Python] Fix #256. Code generated with '-builtin -modernargs' segfaults for any
+            method taking zero arguments.
+
+            Also fixes: "SystemError: error return without exception set" during error checking
+            when using just -builtin and the incorrect number of arguments is passed to a class
+            method expecting zero arguments.
+
 2015-04-23: wsfulton
             [Java] Bug #386 - Memory leak fix in (char *STRING, size_t LENGTH) typemaps.
 
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/template_classes_runme.py b/Examples/test-suite/python/template_classes_runme.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9c04fee95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/template_classes_runme.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+from template_classes import *
+
+# This test is just testing incorrect number of arguments/parameters checking
+
+point = PointInt()
+
+rectangle = RectangleInt()
+rectangle.setPoint(point)
+rectangle.getPoint()
+RectangleInt.static_noargs()
+RectangleInt.static_onearg(1)
+
+fail = True
+try:
+  rectangle.setPoint()
+except TypeError, e:
+  fail = False
+if fail:
+  raise RuntimeError("argument count check failed")
+
+
+fail = True
+try:
+  rectangle.getPoint(0)
+except TypeError, e:
+  fail = False
+if fail:
+  raise RuntimeError("argument count check failed")
+
+fail = True
+try:
+  RectangleInt.static_noargs(0)
+except TypeError, e:
+  fail = False
+if fail:
+  raise RuntimeError("argument count check failed")
+
+fail = True
+try:
+  RectangleInt.static_onearg()
+except TypeError, e:
+  fail = False
+if fail:
+  raise RuntimeError("argument count check failed")
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/template_classes.i b/Examples/test-suite/template_classes.i
index ebe13bd9f..d357e418e 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/template_classes.i
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/template_classes.i
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ class RectangleTest {
 public:
   Point<T>& getPoint() {return point;}
   void setPoint(Point<T>& value) {point = value;}
+
+  static int static_noargs() { return 0; }
+  static int static_onearg(int i) { return i; }
 private:
   Point<T> point;
 
diff --git a/Source/Modules/python.cxx b/Source/Modules/python.cxx
index c85e3b9cd..a6a81b514 100644
--- a/Source/Modules/python.cxx
+++ b/Source/Modules/python.cxx
@@ -2713,14 +2713,12 @@ public:
       Printv(f->locals, "  char *  kwnames[] = ", kwargs, ";\n", NIL);
     }
 
-    if (use_parse || allow_kwargs || !modernargs) {
-      if (builtin && in_class && tuple_arguments == 0) {
-	Printf(parse_args, "    if (args && PyTuple_Check(args) && PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args) > 0) SWIG_fail;\n");
-      } else {
-	Printf(parse_args, ":%s\"", iname);
-	Printv(parse_args, arglist, ")) SWIG_fail;\n", NIL);
-	funpack = 0;
-      }
+    if (builtin && in_class && tuple_arguments == 0) {
+      Printf(parse_args, "    if (args && PyTuple_Check(args) && PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args) > 0) SWIG_exception_fail(SWIG_TypeError, \"%s takes no arguments\");\n", iname);
+    } else if (use_parse || allow_kwargs || !modernargs) {
+      Printf(parse_args, ":%s\"", iname);
+      Printv(parse_args, arglist, ")) SWIG_fail;\n", NIL);
+      funpack = 0;
     } else {
       Clear(parse_args);
       if (funpack) {