diff --git a/src/engine.c b/src/engine.c
index 99802dc26c3d67719868f25c5463e8f8e070cd5c..f5b545288ef0a56064ea75d7d46559bf719eb21d 100644
--- a/src/engine.c
+++ b/src/engine.c
@@ -907,7 +907,8 @@ void engine_repartition(struct engine *e) {
     message("took %.3f %s.", clocks_from_ticks(getticks() - tic),
             clocks_getunit());
 #else
-  error("SWIFT was not compiled with MPI and METIS support.");
+  if (e->reparttype->type != REPART_NONE)
+    error("SWIFT was not compiled with MPI and METIS support.");
 #endif
 }