diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 2d5651a..2f1111e 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -686,6 +686,12 @@ int read_params(
     parameters->lyapunov_reset=parameters->print_freq;
   }
 
+  // check that if flow_init is used, then so is init
+  if(parameters->init_flow_file && parameters->init!=INIT_FILE){
+    fprintf(stderr, "error: cannot use 'init_flow:file' if 'init' is not a binary file\n");
+    return(-1);
+  }
+
   return(0);
 }