diff --git a/Post/adaptiveData.cpp b/Post/adaptiveData.cpp
index acec26b02dbf049f9f9d10e0d6efb03b3c2c5ecf..49fc7a32a4b91dc728debca0a2457ae2343fce94 100644
--- a/Post/adaptiveData.cpp
+++ b/Post/adaptiveData.cpp
@@ -2374,6 +2374,10 @@ void adaptiveElements<T>::buildMapping(nodMap<T> &myNodMap, double tol, int &num
         } //for
       } //if
     }//for
+    
+    if(myNodMap.mapping.size() == 0) { 
+      Msg::Error("Node mapping in buildMapping has zero size");
+    }   
 
     // Count number of unique nodes from the mapping
     // Use an ordered set for efficiency