diff --git a/src/engine_split_particles.c b/src/engine_split_particles.c
index bbf44ddc99398f99aa43feda17ce9e6ed0ebbb1b..23eb43438cebb5ac103b2c3bfb8f33577dd77b98 100644
--- a/src/engine_split_particles.c
+++ b/src/engine_split_particles.c
@@ -302,7 +302,8 @@ void engine_split_gas_particles(struct engine *e) {
   }
 
   /* Be verbose about this. This is an important event */
-  message("Splitting %zd particles above the mass threshold", counter);
+  if (counter > 0)
+    message("Splitting %zd particles above the mass threshold", counter);
 
   /* Number of particles to create */
   const long long count_new_gas = counter * particle_split_factor;