diff --git a/src/sage/libs/pari/convert_sage.pyx b/src/sage/libs/pari/convert_sage.pyx
index abee1fb141c..a5c8b3c56b4 100644
--- a/src/sage/libs/pari/convert_sage.pyx
+++ b/src/sage/libs/pari/convert_sage.pyx
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ from sage.libs.gmp.mpz cimport mpz_fits_slong_p, mpz_sgn, mpz_get_ui, mpz_set, m
 from sage.libs.gmp.mpq cimport mpq_denref, mpq_numref
 from sage.rings.integer cimport smallInteger
 from sage.rings.all import RealField, ComplexField, QuadraticField
-from sage.matrix.args cimport MatrixArgs
+from sage.matrix.args cimport (MatrixArgs, MA_ENTRIES_SEQ_SEQ,
+                               MA_ENTRIES_SEQ_FLAT, MA_ENTRIES_CALLABLE,
+                               MA_ENTRIES_UNKNOWN, MA_ENTRIES_SCALAR)
 from sage.rings.padics.factory import Qp
 from sage.rings.infinity import Infinity
 
@@ -574,3 +576,83 @@ cpdef list pari_prime_range(long c_start, long c_stop, bint py_ints=False):
             res.append(z)
         NEXT_PRIME_VIADIFF(p, pari_prime_ptr)
     return res
+
+
+def pari_typ_to_entries_type(MatrixArgs self):
+    """
+    Determine the ``entries_type`` of a :class:`sage.matrix.args.MatrixArgs`
+    with PARI entries.
+
+    This will modify the entries.
+
+    TESTS:
+
+    ``MA_ENTRIES_SEQ_SEQ``::
+
+        sage: from sage.libs.pari.convert_sage import pari_typ_to_entries_type
+        sage: from sage.matrix.args import MatrixArgs
+        sage: ma = MatrixArgs(QQ, entries=pari("[1,2;3,4]"))
+        sage: 0x10_03 == pari_typ_to_entries_type(ma)
+        True
+
+    ``MA_ENTRIES_SEQ_FLAT``::
+
+        sage: ma = MatrixArgs(QQ, entries=pari("[1,2]"))
+        sage: 0x10_04 == pari_typ_to_entries_type(ma)
+        True
+        sage: ma = MatrixArgs(QQ, entries=pari(vector([1,2])))
+        sage: 0x10_04 == pari_typ_to_entries_type(ma)
+        True
+        sage: ma = MatrixArgs(QQ, entries=pari(matrix(2, range(4))[0]))
+        sage: 0x10_04 == pari_typ_to_entries_type(ma)
+        True
+
+    ``MA_ENTRIES_CALLABLE``::
+
+        sage: ma = MatrixArgs(QQ, entries=pari(lambda x: x))
+        sage: 0x13_06 == pari_typ_to_entries_type(ma)
+        True
+
+    ``MA_ENTRIES_SCALAR``::
+
+        sage: ma = MatrixArgs(QQ, entries=pari(1/2))
+        sage: 0x17_02 == pari_typ_to_entries_type(ma)
+        True
+
+    ``MA_ENTRIES_UNKNOWN``::
+
+        sage: ma = MatrixArgs(QQ, entries=pari('"2"'))
+        sage: 0 == pari_typ_to_entries_type(ma)
+        True
+
+    A second call gives an error::
+
+        sage: ma = MatrixArgs(QQ, entries=pari("[1,2]"))
+        sage: 0x10_04 == pari_typ_to_entries_type(ma)
+        True
+        sage: 0x10_04 == pari_typ_to_entries_type(ma)
+        Traceback (most recent call last):
+        ...
+        ValueError: entries are not a PARI generator
+    """
+    if not isinstance(self.entries, Gen):
+        raise ValueError("entries are not a PARI generator")
+    cdef long t = typ((<Gen>self.entries).g)
+    if t == t_MAT:
+        R = self.base
+        if R is None:
+            self.entries = self.entries.Col().sage()
+        else:
+            self.entries = [[R(x) for x in v]
+                            for v in self.entries.mattranspose()]
+        return MA_ENTRIES_SEQ_SEQ
+    elif t in [t_VEC, t_COL, t_VECSMALL, t_LIST]:
+        self.entries = self.entries.sage()
+        return MA_ENTRIES_SEQ_FLAT
+    elif t == t_CLOSURE:
+        return MA_ENTRIES_CALLABLE
+    elif t == t_STR:
+        return MA_ENTRIES_UNKNOWN
+    else:
+        self.entries = self.entries.sage()
+        return MA_ENTRIES_SCALAR
diff --git a/src/sage/matrix/args.pyx b/src/sage/matrix/args.pyx
index 112b2663e24..4d2a114328e 100644
--- a/src/sage/matrix/args.pyx
+++ b/src/sage/matrix/args.pyx
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ Helpers for creating matrices
 cimport cython
 from cpython.sequence cimport PySequence_Fast
 from cysignals.signals cimport sig_check
-from cypari2.gen cimport Gen
-from cypari2.types cimport typ, t_MAT, t_VEC, t_COL, t_VECSMALL, t_LIST, t_STR, t_CLOSURE
 
 MatrixSpace = None
 
@@ -33,6 +31,12 @@ from sage.misc.misc_c import sized_iter
 from sage.categories import monoids
 
 
+try:
+    from cypari2.gen import Gen
+except ImportError:
+    Gen = ()
+
+
 CommutativeMonoids = monoids.Monoids().Commutative()
 
 
@@ -1250,25 +1254,8 @@ cdef class MatrixArgs:
                 return MA_ENTRIES_NDARRAY
             return MA_ENTRIES_SCALAR
         if isinstance(self.entries, Gen):  # PARI object
-            t = typ((<Gen>self.entries).g)
-            if t == t_MAT:
-                R = self.base
-                if R is None:
-                    self.entries = self.entries.Col().sage()
-                else:
-                    self.entries = [[R(x) for x in v]
-                                    for v in self.entries.mattranspose()]
-                return MA_ENTRIES_SEQ_SEQ
-            elif t in [t_VEC, t_COL, t_VECSMALL, t_LIST]:
-                self.entries = self.entries.sage()
-                return MA_ENTRIES_SEQ_FLAT
-            elif t == t_CLOSURE:
-                return MA_ENTRIES_CALLABLE
-            elif t == t_STR:
-                return MA_ENTRIES_UNKNOWN
-            else:
-                self.entries = self.entries.sage()
-                return MA_ENTRIES_SCALAR
+            from sage.libs.pari.convert_sage import pari_typ_to_entries_type
+            return pari_typ_to_entries_type(self)
         if isinstance(self.entries, MatrixArgs):
             # Prevent recursion
             return MA_ENTRIES_UNKNOWN