Index: django/core/management.py
===================================================================
--- django/core/management.py	(revision 1320)
+++ django/core/management.py	(working copy)
@@ -85,9 +85,10 @@
         if opts.order_with_respect_to:
             table_output.append('%s %s NULL' % (db.db.quote_name('_order'), db.DATA_TYPES['IntegerField']))
         for field_constraints in opts.unique_together:
+            assert not isinstance(field_constraints, basestring), \
+                    "Illegal unique_together. Try putting your lists of fields in another list, e.g. [%s]" % repr(opts.unique_together)
             table_output.append('UNIQUE (%s)' % \
                 ", ".join([db.db.quote_name(opts.get_field(f).column) for f in field_constraints]))
-
         full_statement = ['CREATE TABLE %s (' % db.db.quote_name(opts.db_table)]
         for i, line in enumerate(table_output): # Combine and add commas.
             full_statement.append('    %s%s' % (line, i < len(table_output)-1 and ',' or ''))