diff --git a/Milter/__init__.py b/Milter/__init__.py
index d2e0426..516d24e 100755
--- a/Milter/__init__.py
+++ b/Milter/__init__.py
@@ -441,18 +441,26 @@ class Base(object):
   # This information can reduce the size of messages received from sendmail,
   # and hence could reduce bandwidth between sendmail and your milter where
   # that is a factor.  The <code>Milter.SETSYMLIST</code> action flag must be
-  # set.
+  # set.  The protocol stages are M_CONNECT, M_HELO, M_ENVFROM, M_ENVRCPT,
+  # M_DATA, M_EOM, M_EOH.
   #
   # May only be called from negotiate callback.
-  # @since 0.9.2, M_* constants since 0.9.8
+  # @since 0.9.8, previous version was misspelled!
   # @param stage the protocol stage to set to macro list for, 
   # one of the M_* constants defined in Milter
-  # @param macros a string with a space delimited list of macros
-  def setsymlist(self,stage,macros):
+  # @param macros space separated and/or lists of strings
+  def setsymlist(self,stage,*macros):
     if not self._actions & SETSYMLIST: raise DisabledAction("SETSYMLIST")
-    if type(macros) != str:
-      macros = ' '.join(macros)
-    return self._ctx.setsmlist(stage,macros)
+    a = []
+    for m in macros:
+      try:
+        m = m.encode('utf8')
+      except: pass
+      try:
+        m = m.split(' ')
+      except: pass
+      a += m
+    return self._ctx.setsmlist(stage,' '.join(a))
 
   # Milter methods which can only be called from eom callback.
 
diff --git a/Milter/test.py b/Milter/test.py
index dc2a8c4..bed8097 100644
--- a/Milter/test.py
+++ b/Milter/test.py
@@ -89,9 +89,17 @@ class TestBase(object):
 
   def setsymlist(self,stage,macros):
     if not self._actions & SETSYMLIST: raise DisabledAction("SETSYMLIST")
-    if type(macros) != str:
-      macros = ' '.join(macros)
-    self._symlist[stage] = macros
+    # not used yet, but just for grins we save the data
+    a = []
+    for m in macros:
+      try:
+        m = m.encode('utf8')
+      except: pass
+      try:
+        m = m.split(' ')
+      except: pass
+      a += m
+    self._symlist[stage] = set(a)
 
   ## Feed a file like object to the milter.  Calls envfrom, envrcpt for
   # each recipient, header for each header field, body for each body