diff --git a/src/runner.c b/src/runner.c
index 5b09b8989806901eec824e514406e421c9daf807..2ebb21e114185361defb28bdaee9f05003c54399 100644
--- a/src/runner.c
+++ b/src/runner.c
@@ -1518,6 +1518,11 @@ void runner_do_recv_part(struct runner *r, struct cell *c, int clear_sorts,
   timebin_t time_bin_max = 0;
   float h_max = 0.f;
 
+#ifdef SWIFT_DEBUG_CHECKS
+  if(c->nodeID == engine_rank)
+    error("Updating a local cell!");
+#endif
+
   /* Clear this cell's sorted mask. */
   if (clear_sorts) c->sorted = 0;
 
@@ -1597,6 +1602,11 @@ void runner_do_recv_gpart(struct runner *r, struct cell *c, int timer) {
   timebin_t time_bin_min = num_time_bins;
   timebin_t time_bin_max = 0;
 
+#ifdef SWIFT_DEBUG_CHECKS
+  if(c->nodeID == engine_rank)
+    error("Updating a local cell!");
+#endif
+
   /* If this cell is a leaf, collect the particle data. */
   if (!c->split) {
 
@@ -1670,6 +1680,11 @@ void runner_do_recv_spart(struct runner *r, struct cell *c, int timer) {
   timebin_t time_bin_min = num_time_bins;
   timebin_t time_bin_max = 0;
 
+#ifdef SWIFT_DEBUG_CHECKS
+  if(c->nodeID == engine_rank)
+    error("Updating a local cell!");
+#endif
+
   /* If this cell is a leaf, collect the particle data. */
   if (!c->split) {