diff --git a/src/IO.f90 b/src/IO.f90
index 8cc350b10..c83ea1a22 100644
--- a/src/IO.f90
+++ b/src/IO.f90
@@ -479,6 +479,8 @@ subroutine IO_error(error_ID,ext_msg,label1,ID1,label2,ID2)
 ! homogenization errors
     case (500)
       msg = 'unknown homogenization specified'
+    case (501)
+      msg = 'homogenization description absent'
 
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ! user errors
diff --git a/src/grid/grid_damage_spectral.f90 b/src/grid/grid_damage_spectral.f90
index cc4cabd49..e096ec3ef 100644
--- a/src/grid/grid_damage_spectral.f90
+++ b/src/grid/grid_damage_spectral.f90
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ subroutine grid_damage_spectral_init()
   print'(/,1x,a)', 'P. Shanthraj et al., Handbook of Mechanics of Materials, 2019'
   print'(  1x,a)', 'https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6855-3_80'
 
+  if (.not. homogenization_damage_active()) call IO_error(501,ext_msg='damage')
+
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ! read numerical parameters and do sanity checks
   num_grid => config_numerics%get_dict('grid',defaultVal=emptyDict)
diff --git a/src/grid/grid_thermal_spectral.f90 b/src/grid/grid_thermal_spectral.f90
index 8932a3adc..a5d9f4ec8 100644
--- a/src/grid/grid_thermal_spectral.f90
+++ b/src/grid/grid_thermal_spectral.f90
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ subroutine grid_thermal_spectral_init()
   print'(/,1x,a)', 'P. Shanthraj et al., Handbook of Mechanics of Materials, 2019'
   print'(  1x,a)', 'https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6855-3_80'
 
+  if (.not. homogenization_thermal_active()) call IO_error(501,ext_msg='thermal')
+
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ! read numerical parameters and do sanity checks
   num_grid => config_numerics%get_dict('grid',defaultVal=emptyDict)
diff --git a/src/homogenization.f90 b/src/homogenization.f90
index 3474e497b..2c89a1859 100644
--- a/src/homogenization.f90
+++ b/src/homogenization.f90
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ module homogenization
       logical, dimension(2) :: doneAndHappy
     end function mechanical_updateState
 
+    module function homogenization_thermal_active() result(active)
+      logical :: active
+    end function homogenization_thermal_active
+
     module function homogenization_mu_T(ce) result(mu)
       integer, intent(in) :: ce
       real(pReal) :: mu
@@ -146,6 +150,10 @@ module homogenization
       real(pReal),   intent(in) :: T, dot_T
     end subroutine homogenization_thermal_setField
 
+    module function homogenization_damage_active() result(active)
+      logical :: active
+    end function homogenization_damage_active
+
     module function homogenization_mu_phi(ce) result(mu)
       integer, intent(in) :: ce
       real(pReal) :: mu
@@ -175,10 +183,12 @@ module homogenization
     homogenization_mechanical_response, &
     homogenization_mechanical_response2, &
     homogenization_thermal_response, &
+    homogenization_thermal_active, &
     homogenization_mu_T, &
     homogenization_K_T, &
     homogenization_f_T, &
     homogenization_thermal_setfield, &
+    homogenization_damage_active, &
     homogenization_mu_phi, &
     homogenization_K_phi, &
     homogenization_f_phi, &
diff --git a/src/homogenization_damage.f90 b/src/homogenization_damage.f90
index f2b585a72..40c85cd2b 100644
--- a/src/homogenization_damage.f90
+++ b/src/homogenization_damage.f90
@@ -72,6 +72,18 @@ module subroutine damage_init()
 end subroutine damage_init
 
 
+!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+!> @brief Check if damage homogemization description is present in the configuration file
+!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+module function homogenization_damage_active() result(active)
+
+  logical :: active
+
+  active = any(damage_active(:))
+
+end function homogenization_damage_active
+
+
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !> @brief Partition temperature onto the individual constituents.
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/homogenization_thermal.f90 b/src/homogenization_thermal.f90
index 5f494fedf..274c392e8 100644
--- a/src/homogenization_thermal.f90
+++ b/src/homogenization_thermal.f90
@@ -78,10 +78,21 @@ module subroutine thermal_init()
     end associate
   end do
 
-
 end subroutine thermal_init
 
 
+!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+!> @brief Check if thermal homogemization description is present in the configuration file
+!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+module function homogenization_thermal_active() result(active)
+
+  logical :: active
+
+  active = any(thermal_active(:))
+
+end function homogenization_thermal_active
+
+
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !> @brief Partition temperature onto the individual constituents.
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------