diff --git a/AUTHORS.rst b/AUTHORS.rst
index 6b44851..6b60bcc 100644
--- a/AUTHORS.rst
+++ b/AUTHORS.rst
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ Code contributions:
 - Jesper Schlegel (jesperschlegel)
 - J vanBemmel (jbemmel)
 - m-janicki
+- Arindam Sikder (arindamsikder)
 
 
 Suggestions and bug reporting:
diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index c4a347d..2371794 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 Changelog
 =========
 
+Unreleased
+----------
+
+* Raise a clear error for bracket paths without a numeric list index instead of AttributeError (#265).
+
 Version 7.4.1
 -------------
 
diff --git a/box/box_list.py b/box/box_list.py
index 72609ff..2876d95 100644
--- a/box/box_list.py
+++ b/box/box_list.py
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ def frozen(*args, **kwargs):
     def __getitem__(self, item):
         if self.box_options.get("box_dots") and isinstance(item, str) and item.startswith("["):
             list_pos = _list_pos_re.search(item)
+            if list_pos is None:
+                raise BoxTypeError(f"Invalid list index: {item!r}")
             value = super().__getitem__(int(list_pos.groups()[0]))
             if len(list_pos.group()) == len(item):
                 return value
@@ -87,6 +89,8 @@ def __delitem__(self, key):
             raise BoxError("BoxList is frozen")
         if self.box_options.get("box_dots") and isinstance(key, str) and key.startswith("["):
             list_pos = _list_pos_re.search(key)
+            if list_pos is None:
+                raise BoxTypeError(f"Invalid list index: {key!r}")
             pos = int(list_pos.groups()[0])
             if len(list_pos.group()) == len(key):
                 return super().__delitem__(pos)
@@ -99,6 +103,8 @@ def __setitem__(self, key, value):
             raise BoxError("BoxList is frozen")
         if self.box_options.get("box_dots") and isinstance(key, str) and key.startswith("["):
             list_pos = _list_pos_re.search(key)
+            if list_pos is None:
+                raise BoxTypeError(f"Invalid list index: {key!r}")
             pos = int(list_pos.groups()[0])
             if pos >= len(self) and self.box_options.get("default_box"):
                 self.extend([None] * (pos - len(self) + 1))
diff --git a/test/test_box.py b/test/test_box.py
index e5c56e0..2ec44ae 100644
--- a/test/test_box.py
+++ b/test/test_box.py
@@ -349,6 +349,15 @@ def test_from_json_file(self):
         assert isinstance(bx, Box)
         assert bx.widget.window.height == 500
 
+    def test_from_yaml_invalid_bracket_key(self):
+        key = r"^[^_^\d][\w]*$"
+        yaml_string = f"'{key}': {{}}"
+        with pytest.raises(BoxError) as error:
+            Box.from_yaml(yaml_string, default_box=True, box_dots=True)
+        assert "Invalid list index" in str(error.value)
+        assert repr(key[1:]) in str(error.value)
+        assert Box.from_yaml(yaml_string, default_box=True, box_dots=False).to_dict() == {key: {}}
+
     def test_from_yaml_file(self):
         bx = Box.from_yaml(filename=data_yaml_file)
         assert isinstance(bx, Box)
diff --git a/test/test_box_list.py b/test/test_box_list.py
index 9cd90e0..5010007 100644
--- a/test/test_box_list.py
+++ b/test/test_box_list.py
@@ -222,6 +222,61 @@ def test_box_list_dots(self):
         for key in keys:
             db[key]
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("key", ["[x]", "[]", "[", "[1x]"])
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("default_box", [False, True])
+    def test_box_list_dots_invalid_get(self, key, default_box):
+        data = BoxList([{"value": 1}], box_dots=True, default_box=default_box)
+        with pytest.raises(BoxError) as error:
+            data[key]
+        assert "Invalid list index" in str(error.value)
+        assert repr(key) in str(error.value)
+        assert data.to_list() == [{"value": 1}]
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("key", ["[x]", "[]", "[", "[1x]"])
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("default_box", [False, True])
+    def test_box_list_dots_invalid_set(self, key, default_box):
+        data = BoxList([{"value": 1}], box_dots=True, default_box=default_box)
+        with pytest.raises(BoxError) as error:
+            data[key] = 2
+        assert "Invalid list index" in str(error.value)
+        assert repr(key) in str(error.value)
+        assert data.to_list() == [{"value": 1}]
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("key", ["[x]", "[]", "[", "[1x]"])
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("default_box", [False, True])
+    def test_box_list_dots_invalid_delete(self, key, default_box):
+        data = BoxList([{"value": 1}], box_dots=True, default_box=default_box)
+        with pytest.raises(BoxError) as error:
+            del data[key]
+        assert "Invalid list index" in str(error.value)
+        assert repr(key) in str(error.value)
+        assert data.to_list() == [{"value": 1}]
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("method, args", [("__getitem__", ()), ("__setitem__", (2,)), ("__delitem__", ())])
+    def test_box_list_dots_invalid_nested_index(self, method, args):
+        data = BoxList([[1]], box_dots=True)
+        with pytest.raises(BoxError) as error:
+            getattr(data, method)("[0][x]", *args)
+        assert "Invalid list index: '[x]'" in str(error.value)
+        assert data.to_list() == [[1]]
+
+    def test_box_list_dots_frozen_invalid_index(self):
+        data = BoxList([1], box_dots=True, frozen_box=True)
+        with pytest.raises(BoxError, match="Invalid list index"):
+            data["[x]"]
+        with pytest.raises(BoxError, match="BoxList is frozen"):
+            data["[x]"] = 2
+        with pytest.raises(BoxError, match="BoxList is frozen"):
+            del data["[x]"]
+        assert data.to_list() == [1]
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("method, args", [("__getitem__", ()), ("__setitem__", (2,)), ("__delitem__", ())])
+    def test_box_list_invalid_index_without_dots(self, method, args):
+        data = BoxList([1], box_dots=False)
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="list indices must be integers or slices"):
+            getattr(data, method)("[x]", *args)
+        assert data.to_list() == [1]
+
     def test_box_list_default_dots(self):
         box_1 = Box(default_box=True, box_dots=True)
         box_1["a[0]"] = 42