diff --git a/grudge/array_context.py b/grudge/array_context.py
index 541c83b34..c17d684b9 100644
--- a/grudge/array_context.py
+++ b/grudge/array_context.py
@@ -194,6 +194,13 @@ def _dag_to_compiled_func(self, dict_of_named_arrays,
 
         from pytools import ProcessLogger
 
+        if __debug__:
+            # pylint-ignore-reason:
+            # '_BasePytatoArrayContext' has no 'mpi_communicator' member
+            pt.verify_distributed_dag_pre_partition(
+                self.actx.mpi_communicator,  # pylint: disable=no-member
+                dict_of_named_arrays)
+
         self.actx._compile_trace_callback(self.f, "pre_deduplicate_data_wrappers",
                 dict_of_named_arrays)