In the structure of bis(diethyldithiocarbamato-S,S′)-tellurium(II)-4,4′-bipyridyl (2/1), [Te(C5H10NS2)2].-1/2C10H 8N2, the bipyridyl molecule was found to bridge two bis(diethyldithiocarbamato)tellurium moieties centrosymmetrically, i.e. μ-(4,4′-bipyridyl-N:N′)-bis(diethyl-dithiocarbamato-S,S′) tellurium. The N atom of the bipyridyl is very weakly coordinated to tellurium and this is the first instance of Te-N coordination observed in a tellurium-dithiocarbamate complex. Each Te atom has an unusual planar-pentagonal arrangement of ligands around it.