diff --git a/dune/gfe/coupling/rodcontinuumcomplex.hh b/dune/gfe/coupling/rodcontinuumcomplex.hh
index cd974ce0784654439a90a7d36376fee2fd55d979..3893b1595a6a2e59b6533a1849b374dde5c14b32 100644
--- a/dune/gfe/coupling/rodcontinuumcomplex.hh
+++ b/dune/gfe/coupling/rodcontinuumcomplex.hh
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 template <class RodGrid, class ContinuumGrid>
 class RodContinuumComplex
 {
+    dune_static_assert(RodGrid::dimension==1, "The RodGrid has to be one-dimensional!");
+
     typedef std::vector<RigidBodyMotion<3> > RodConfiguration;
     
     typedef Dune::BlockVector<Dune::FieldVector<double,3> > ContinuumConfiguration;