diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index da1245f3251..de008d019a2 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ Bugs fixed
   attribute not having any comment
 * #9364: autodoc: single element tuple on the default argument value is wrongly
   rendered
+* #9404: autodoc: TypeError is raised on processing dict-like object (not a
+  class) via autoclass directive
 * #9317: html: Pushing left key causes visiting the next page at the first page
 * #9381: html: URL for html_favicon and html_log does not work
 * #9270: html theme : pyramid theme generates incorrect logo links
diff --git a/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py b/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py
index 1cecb1f797d..4ce5a7ab1d4 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py
@@ -1744,7 +1744,7 @@ def add_content(self, more_content: Optional[StringList], no_docstring: bool = F
         if self.doc_as_attr and not self.get_variable_comment():
             try:
                 more_content = StringList([_('alias of %s') % restify(self.object)], source='')
-            except AttributeError:
+            except (AttributeError, ValueError):
                 pass  # Invalid class object is passed.
 
         super().add_content(more_content)
diff --git a/sphinx/util/typing.py b/sphinx/util/typing.py
index 279268aee32..565f66cf676 100644
--- a/sphinx/util/typing.py
+++ b/sphinx/util/typing.py
@@ -105,27 +105,30 @@ def restify(cls: Optional[Type]) -> str:
     """Convert python class to a reST reference."""
     from sphinx.util import inspect  # lazy loading
 
-    if cls is None or cls is NoneType:
-        return ':obj:`None`'
-    elif cls is Ellipsis:
-        return '...'
-    elif cls in INVALID_BUILTIN_CLASSES:
-        return ':class:`%s`' % INVALID_BUILTIN_CLASSES[cls]
-    elif inspect.isNewType(cls):
-        return ':class:`%s`' % cls.__name__
-    elif types_Union and isinstance(cls, types_Union):
-        if len(cls.__args__) > 1 and None in cls.__args__:
-            args = ' | '.join(restify(a) for a in cls.__args__ if a)
-            return 'Optional[%s]' % args
-        else:
-            return ' | '.join(restify(a) for a in cls.__args__)
-    elif cls.__module__ in ('__builtin__', 'builtins'):
-        return ':class:`%s`' % cls.__name__
-    else:
-        if sys.version_info >= (3, 7):  # py37+
-            return _restify_py37(cls)
+    try:
+        if cls is None or cls is NoneType:
+            return ':obj:`None`'
+        elif cls is Ellipsis:
+            return '...'
+        elif cls in INVALID_BUILTIN_CLASSES:
+            return ':class:`%s`' % INVALID_BUILTIN_CLASSES[cls]
+        elif inspect.isNewType(cls):
+            return ':class:`%s`' % cls.__name__
+        elif types_Union and isinstance(cls, types_Union):
+            if len(cls.__args__) > 1 and None in cls.__args__:
+                args = ' | '.join(restify(a) for a in cls.__args__ if a)
+                return 'Optional[%s]' % args
+            else:
+                return ' | '.join(restify(a) for a in cls.__args__)
+        elif cls.__module__ in ('__builtin__', 'builtins'):
+            return ':class:`%s`' % cls.__name__
         else:
-            return _restify_py36(cls)
+            if sys.version_info >= (3, 7):  # py37+
+                return _restify_py37(cls)
+            else:
+                return _restify_py36(cls)
+    except TypeError as exc:
+        raise ValueError from exc
 
 
 def _restify_py37(cls: Optional[Type]) -> str: