diff --git a/python/src/CMakeLists.txt b/python/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 83acef1e2..ae0531385 100644
--- a/python/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ nanobind_add_module(
   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/linalg.cpp
   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/constants.cpp
   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/trees.cpp
+  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/utils.cpp
 )
 
 if (NOT MLX_PYTHON_BINDINGS_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)
diff --git a/python/src/utils.cpp b/python/src/utils.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5d1118b80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/src/utils.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+// Copyright © 2024 Apple Inc.
+
+#include "python/src/utils.h"
+#include "mlx/ops.h"
+#include "python/src/convert.h"
+
+array to_array(
+    const ScalarOrArray& v,
+    std::optional<Dtype> dtype /* = std::nullopt */) {
+  if (auto pv = std::get_if<nb::bool_>(&v); pv) {
+    return array(nb::cast<bool>(*pv), dtype.value_or(bool_));
+  } else if (auto pv = std::get_if<nb::int_>(&v); pv) {
+    auto out_t = dtype.value_or(int32);
+    // bool_ is an exception and is always promoted
+    return array(nb::cast<int>(*pv), (out_t == bool_) ? int32 : out_t);
+  } else if (auto pv = std::get_if<nb::float_>(&v); pv) {
+    auto out_t = dtype.value_or(float32);
+    return array(
+        nb::cast<float>(*pv), issubdtype(out_t, floating) ? out_t : float32);
+  } else if (auto pv = std::get_if<std::complex<float>>(&v); pv) {
+    return array(static_cast<complex64_t>(*pv), complex64);
+  } else if (auto pv = std::get_if<array>(&v); pv) {
+    return *pv;
+  } else if (auto pv = std::get_if<
+                 nb::ndarray<nb::ro, nb::c_contig, nb::device::cpu>>(&v);
+             pv) {
+    return nd_array_to_mlx(*pv, dtype);
+  } else {
+    return to_array_with_accessor(std::get<nb::object>(v));
+  }
+}
+
+std::pair<array, array> to_arrays(
+    const ScalarOrArray& a,
+    const ScalarOrArray& b) {
+  // Four cases:
+  // - If both a and b are arrays leave their types alone
+  // - If a is an array but b is not, treat b as a weak python type
+  // - If b is an array but a is not, treat a as a weak python type
+  // - If neither is an array convert to arrays but leave their types alone
+  auto is_mlx_array = [](const ScalarOrArray& x) {
+    return std::holds_alternative<array>(x) ||
+        std::holds_alternative<nb::object>(x) &&
+        nb::hasattr(std::get<nb::object>(x), "__mlx_array__");
+  };
+  auto get_mlx_array = [](const ScalarOrArray& x) {
+    if (auto px = std::get_if<array>(&x); px) {
+      return *px;
+    } else {
+      return nb::cast<array>(std::get<nb::object>(x).attr("__mlx_array__"));
+    }
+  };
+
+  if (is_mlx_array(a)) {
+    auto arr_a = get_mlx_array(a);
+    if (is_mlx_array(b)) {
+      auto arr_b = get_mlx_array(b);
+      return {arr_a, arr_b};
+    }
+    return {arr_a, to_array(b, arr_a.dtype())};
+  } else if (is_mlx_array(b)) {
+    auto arr_b = get_mlx_array(b);
+    return {to_array(a, arr_b.dtype()), arr_b};
+  } else {
+    return {to_array(a), to_array(b)};
+  }
+}
+
+array to_array_with_accessor(nb::object obj) {
+  if (nb::isinstance<array>(obj)) {
+    return nb::cast<array>(obj);
+  } else if (nb::hasattr(obj, "__mlx_array__")) {
+    return nb::cast<array>(obj.attr("__mlx_array__")());
+  } else {
+    std::ostringstream msg;
+    msg << "Invalid type  " << nb::type_name(obj.type()).c_str()
+        << " received in array initialization.";
+    throw std::invalid_argument(msg.str());
+  }
+}
diff --git a/python/src/utils.h b/python/src/utils.h
index bd29df2d6..3d5b1af97 100644
--- a/python/src/utils.h
+++ b/python/src/utils.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <variant>
 
 #include <nanobind/nanobind.h>
+#include <nanobind/ndarray.h>
 #include <nanobind/stl/complex.h>
 #include <nanobind/stl/variant.h>
 
@@ -16,8 +17,16 @@ namespace nb = nanobind;
 using namespace mlx::core;
 
 using IntOrVec = std::variant<std::monostate, int, std::vector<int>>;
-using ScalarOrArray = std::
-    variant<nb::bool_, nb::int_, nb::float_, std::complex<float>, nb::object>;
+using ScalarOrArray = std::variant<
+    nb::bool_,
+    nb::int_,
+    nb::float_,
+    // Must be above ndarray
+    array,
+    // Must be above complex
+    nb::ndarray<nb::ro, nb::c_contig, nb::device::cpu>,
+    std::complex<float>,
+    nb::object>;
 
 inline std::vector<int> get_reduce_axes(const IntOrVec& v, int dims) {
   std::vector<int> axes;
@@ -32,19 +41,6 @@ inline std::vector<int> get_reduce_axes(const IntOrVec& v, int dims) {
   return axes;
 }
 
-inline array to_array_with_accessor(nb::object obj) {
-  if (nb::isinstance<array>(obj)) {
-    return nb::cast<array>(obj);
-  } else if (nb::hasattr(obj, "__mlx_array__")) {
-    return nb::cast<array>(obj.attr("__mlx_array__")());
-  } else {
-    std::ostringstream msg;
-    msg << "Invalid type  " << nb::type_name(obj.type()).c_str()
-        << " received in array initialization.";
-    throw std::invalid_argument(msg.str());
-  }
-}
-
 inline bool is_comparable_with_array(const ScalarOrArray& v) {
   // Checks if the value can be compared to an array (or is already an
   // mlx array)
@@ -70,45 +66,12 @@ inline void throw_invalid_operation(
   throw std::invalid_argument(msg.str());
 }
 
-inline array to_array(
+array to_array(
     const ScalarOrArray& v,
-    std::optional<Dtype> dtype = std::nullopt) {
-  if (auto pv = std::get_if<nb::bool_>(&v); pv) {
-    return array(nb::cast<bool>(*pv), dtype.value_or(bool_));
-  } else if (auto pv = std::get_if<nb::int_>(&v); pv) {
-    auto out_t = dtype.value_or(int32);
-    // bool_ is an exception and is always promoted
-    return array(nb::cast<int>(*pv), (out_t == bool_) ? int32 : out_t);
-  } else if (auto pv = std::get_if<nb::float_>(&v); pv) {
-    auto out_t = dtype.value_or(float32);
-    return array(
-        nb::cast<float>(*pv), issubdtype(out_t, floating) ? out_t : float32);
-  } else if (auto pv = std::get_if<std::complex<float>>(&v); pv) {
-    return array(static_cast<complex64_t>(*pv), complex64);
-  } else {
-    return to_array_with_accessor(std::get<nb::object>(v));
-  }
-}
+    std::optional<Dtype> dtype = std::nullopt);
 
-inline std::pair<array, array> to_arrays(
+std::pair<array, array> to_arrays(
     const ScalarOrArray& a,
-    const ScalarOrArray& b) {
-  // Four cases:
-  // - If both a and b are arrays leave their types alone
-  // - If a is an array but b is not, treat b as a weak python type
-  // - If b is an array but a is not, treat a as a weak python type
-  // - If neither is an array convert to arrays but leave their types alone
-  if (auto pa = std::get_if<nb::object>(&a); pa) {
-    auto arr_a = to_array_with_accessor(*pa);
-    if (auto pb = std::get_if<nb::object>(&b); pb) {
-      auto arr_b = to_array_with_accessor(*pb);
-      return {arr_a, arr_b};
-    }
-    return {arr_a, to_array(b, arr_a.dtype())};
-  } else if (auto pb = std::get_if<nb::object>(&b); pb) {
-    auto arr_b = to_array_with_accessor(*pb);
-    return {to_array(a, arr_b.dtype()), arr_b};
-  } else {
-    return {to_array(a), to_array(b)};
-  }
-}
+    const ScalarOrArray& b);
+
+array to_array_with_accessor(nb::object obj);
diff --git a/python/tests/test_array.py b/python/tests/test_array.py
index 4faa3ec1c..fc97a833f 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_array.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_array.py
@@ -1710,6 +1710,13 @@ class TestArray(mlx_tests.MLXTestCase):
         peak_2 = mx.metal.get_peak_memory()
         self.assertEqual(peak_1, peak_2)
 
+    def test_add_numpy(self):
+        x = mx.array(1)
+        y = np.array(2, dtype=np.int32)
+        z = x + y
+        self.assertEqual(z.dtype, mx.int32)
+        self.assertEqual(z.item(), 3)
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()