diff --git a/src/cat/TPTScriptInterface.cpp b/src/cat/TPTScriptInterface.cpp
index 2e824efc2..5d9a5e05b 100644
--- a/src/cat/TPTScriptInterface.cpp
+++ b/src/cat/TPTScriptInterface.cpp
@@ -334,6 +334,8 @@ AnyType TPTScriptInterface::tptS_set(std::deque<std::string> * words)
 
 		if(type<0 || type>=PT_NUM)
 			throw GeneralException("Invalid particle type");
+		if(type==0)
+			throw GeneralException("Cannot set properties of particles that do not exist");
 		std::cout << propertyOffset << std::endl;
 		switch(propertyFormat)
 		{