diff --git a/src/engine_maketasks.c b/src/engine_maketasks.c
index d1858f87ff0bfdfee878f2e53b81e100812fd0a5..5339e2c582b9598818c25ce57bdbda363bff5972 100644
--- a/src/engine_maketasks.c
+++ b/src/engine_maketasks.c
@@ -2044,6 +2044,7 @@ void engine_make_hydroloop_tasks_mapper(void *map_data, int num_elements,
   struct engine *e = (struct engine *)extra_data;
   const int periodic = e->s->periodic;
   const int with_feedback = (e->policy & engine_policy_feedback);
+  const int with_stars = (e->policy & engine_policy_stars);
 
   struct space *s = e->s;
   struct scheduler *sched = &e->sched;
@@ -2066,7 +2067,7 @@ void engine_make_hydroloop_tasks_mapper(void *map_data, int num_elements,
     struct cell *ci = &cells[cid];
 
     /* Skip cells without hydro or star particles */
-    if ((ci->hydro.count == 0) && (!with_feedback || ci->stars.count == 0))
+    if ((ci->hydro.count == 0) && (!with_stars || ci->stars.count == 0))
       continue;
 
     /* If the cell is local build a self-interaction */
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index 729b566e3be7d20bc5a73fc1692b0911885b0efe..f7fbd578a40d76e750a6a47c5f8268a27c5436b2 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -545,6 +545,7 @@ static void scheduler_splittask_hydro(struct task *t, struct scheduler *s) {
   /* Note this is not very clean as the scheduler should not really
      access the engine... */
   const int with_feedback = (s->space->e->policy & engine_policy_feedback);
+  const int with_stars = (s->space->e->policy & engine_policy_stars);
 
   /* Iterate on this task until we're done with it. */
   int redo = 1;
@@ -556,7 +557,7 @@ static void scheduler_splittask_hydro(struct task *t, struct scheduler *s) {
     /* Is this a non-empty self-task? */
     const int is_self =
         (t->type == task_type_self) && (t->ci != NULL) &&
-        ((t->ci->hydro.count > 0) || (with_feedback && t->ci->stars.count > 0));
+        ((t->ci->hydro.count > 0) || (with_stars && t->ci->stars.count > 0));
 
     /* Is this a non-empty pair-task? */
     const int is_pair =