diff --git a/canopen/objectdictionary/__init__.py b/canopen/objectdictionary/__init__.py
index 40ab8fbf..dbc6c855 100644
--- a/canopen/objectdictionary/__init__.py
+++ b/canopen/objectdictionary/__init__.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 import logging
 import struct
-from collections.abc import Iterator, Mapping, MutableMapping
+from collections.abc import Collection, Iterator, Mapping, MutableMapping
 from typing import Optional, TextIO, Union
 
 from canopen.objectdictionary.datatypes import *
@@ -516,27 +516,44 @@ def encode_desc(self, desc: str) -> int:
         raise ValueError(
             f"No value corresponds to '{desc}'. Valid values are: {valid_values}")
 
-    def decode_bits(self, value: int, bits: list[int]) -> int:
-        try:
+    def decode_bits(self, value: int, bits: Union[str, Collection[int]]) -> int:
+        """Isolate and right-shift the specified bits from a given integer.
+
+        :param value: Variable value holding the bits
+        :param bits: Registered lookup name or concrete list of bit offsets
+        :return: Extracted bits, right-shifted to cut off to lowest specified offset
+        :raises KeyError: For unknown lookup names
+        """
+        if isinstance(bits, str):
             bits = self.bit_definitions[bits]
-        except (TypeError, KeyError):
-            pass
         mask = 0
         for bit in bits:
             mask |= 1 << bit
         return (value & mask) >> min(bits)
 
-    def encode_bits(self, original_value: int, bits: list[int], bit_value: int):
-        try:
+    def encode_bits(
+        self, original_value: int, bits: Union[str, Collection[int]], bit_value: int
+    ) -> int:
+        """Replace the specified bits with the given (unshifted) pattern.
+
+        The bit offsets sequence may be non-contiguous, but the replacement pattern
+        must specify all bits including the "holes".  It is only shifted once, so the
+        LSB lands at the lowest specified bit offset.
+
+        :param original_value: Variable value holding the bits
+        :param bits: Registered lookup name or concrete list of bit offsets
+        :param bit_value: Source pattern to overwrite with
+        :return: Merged value with the bits replaced
+        :raises KeyError: For unknown lookup names
+        """
+        if isinstance(bits, str):
             bits = self.bit_definitions[bits]
-        except (TypeError, KeyError):
-            pass
         temp = original_value
         mask = 0
         for bit in bits:
             mask |= 1 << bit
         temp &= ~mask
-        temp |= bit_value << min(bits)
+        temp |= (bit_value << min(bits)) & mask
         return temp
 
 
diff --git a/canopen/variable.py b/canopen/variable.py
index 639a1839..ede20607 100644
--- a/canopen/variable.py
+++ b/canopen/variable.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import logging
-from collections.abc import Mapping
+from collections.abc import Collection, Mapping
 from typing import Union
 
 from canopen import objectdictionary
@@ -118,7 +120,7 @@ def desc(self, desc: str):
         self.raw = self.od.encode_desc(desc)
 
     @property
-    def bits(self) -> "Bits":
+    def bits(self) -> Bits:
         """Access bits using integers, slices, or bit descriptions."""
         return Bits(self)
 
@@ -169,23 +171,23 @@ def write(
 class Bits(Mapping):
 
     def __init__(self, variable: Variable):
+        assert variable.od.data_type in objectdictionary.datatypes.INTEGER_TYPES
         self.variable = variable
         self.read()
+        self.raw: int
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _get_bits(key):
+    def _get_bits(key: Union[slice, int, str, Collection[int]]) -> Union[str, Collection[int]]:
         if isinstance(key, slice):
-            bits = range(key.start, key.stop, key.step)
-        elif isinstance(key, int):
-            bits = [key]
-        else:
-            bits = key
-        return bits
-
-    def __getitem__(self, key) -> int:
+            return range(key.start, key.stop, key.step)
+        if isinstance(key, int):
+            return [key]
+        return key
+
+    def __getitem__(self, key: Union[slice, int, str, Collection[int]]) -> int:
         return self.variable.od.decode_bits(self.raw, self._get_bits(key))
 
-    def __setitem__(self, key, value: int):
+    def __setitem__(self, key: Union[slice, int, str, Collection[int]], value: int):
         self.raw = self.variable.od.encode_bits(
             self.raw, self._get_bits(key), value)
         self.write()
@@ -197,7 +199,8 @@ def __len__(self):
         return len(self.variable.od.bit_definitions)
 
     def read(self):
-        self.raw = self.variable.raw
+        assert isinstance(raw_int := self.variable.raw, int)
+        self.raw = raw_int
 
     def write(self):
         self.variable.raw = self.raw
diff --git a/test/test_od.py b/test/test_od.py
index d6e3e984..8aa41d01 100644
--- a/test/test_od.py
+++ b/test/test_od.py
@@ -238,10 +238,26 @@ def test_bits(self):
         self.assertEqual(var.decode_bits(1, "BIT 0"), 1)
         self.assertEqual(var.decode_bits(1, [1]), 0)
         self.assertEqual(var.decode_bits(0xf, [0, 1, 2, 3]), 15)
+        self.assertEqual(var.decode_bits(0xf, range(4)), 15)
         self.assertEqual(var.decode_bits(8, "BIT 2 and 3"), 2)
         self.assertEqual(var.encode_bits(0xf, [1], 0), 0xd)
         self.assertEqual(var.encode_bits(0, "BIT 0", 1), 1)
 
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            var.decode_bits(0, "DOES NOT EXIST")
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            var.encode_bits(0, "DOES NOT EXIST", 0)
+
+    def test_bits_sparse(self):
+        var = od.ODVariable("Test UNSIGNED8", 0x1000)
+        var.data_type = od.UNSIGNED8
+
+        self.assertEqual(var.decode_bits(0b11111111, [2, 5]), 0b1001)
+        self.assertEqual(var.decode_bits(0b11011011, [2, 5]), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(var.encode_bits(0b11111111, [2, 5], 0), 0b11011011)
+        self.assertEqual(var.encode_bits(0b00000000, [2, 5], 0b1001), 0b00100100)
+        self.assertEqual(var.encode_bits(0b00000000, [2, 5], 0b1111), 0b00100100)
+
 
 class TestObjectDictionary(unittest.TestCase):