diff --git a/coloquinte/src/rough_legalizers.cxx b/coloquinte/src/rough_legalizers.cxx
index a2cde3e9..b70c9372 100644
--- a/coloquinte/src/rough_legalizers.cxx
+++ b/coloquinte/src/rough_legalizers.cxx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "coloquinte/rough_legalizers.hxx"
 #include "coloquinte/optimization_subproblems.hxx"
 
+#include <iostream>
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <cmath>
 #include <cassert>
@@ -10,6 +11,9 @@
 namespace coloquinte{
 namespace gp{
 
+  using std::cerr;
+  using std::endl;
+
 namespace{
     const capacity_t default_density_mul = 256;
 }
diff --git a/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp b/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp
index 9cb9b54e..27c72e2b 100644
--- a/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp
+++ b/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp
@@ -477,6 +477,15 @@ namespace Etesian {
         occurrence.makeInvalid();
         instance->slaveAbutmentBox();
       }
+
+      if (not masterCell->getAbutmentBox().isEmpty()
+         and (  (instance->getPlacementStatus() != Instance::PlacementStatus::PLACED)
+             or (instance->getPlacementStatus() != Instance::PlacementStatus::FIXED ) ) ) {
+        throw Error( "EtesianEngine::toColoquinte(): Non-leaf instance \"%s\" of \"%s\" has an abutment box but is *not* placed."
+                   , getString(instance  ->getName()).c_str()
+                   , getString(masterCell->getName()).c_str()
+                   );
+      }
     }
     UpdateSession::close();
 
@@ -590,7 +599,9 @@ namespace Etesian {
 
   }
 
-  void  EtesianEngine::preplace (){
+
+  void  EtesianEngine::preplace ()
+  {
     using namespace coloquinte::gp;
 
     // Perform a very quick legalization pass