diff --git a/src/mesh/mesh_base.C b/src/mesh/mesh_base.C
index 144ffbfb568..36ed4cbd212 100644
--- a/src/mesh/mesh_base.C
+++ b/src/mesh/mesh_base.C
@@ -516,6 +516,8 @@ void MeshBase::change_elemset_id(elemset_id_type old_id, elemset_id_type new_id)
 
 unsigned int MeshBase::spatial_dimension () const
 {
+  libmesh_assert(_preparation.has_cached_elem_data);
+
   return cast_int<unsigned int>(_spatial_dimension);
 }