diff --git a/dune/gfe/cosseratenergystiffness.hh b/dune/gfe/cosseratenergystiffness.hh
index 3157e8fb31d5cb4adf058614c538321af1f138af..fa4b6660501069dafbe5adcc7bacb58367614095 100644
--- a/dune/gfe/cosseratenergystiffness.hh
+++ b/dune/gfe/cosseratenergystiffness.hh
@@ -450,6 +450,8 @@ energy(const Entity& element,
        const LocalFiniteElement& localFiniteElement,
        const std::vector<RigidBodyMotion<double,dim> >& localSolution) const
 {
+    assert(element.type() == localFiniteElement.type());
+
     RT energy = 0;
 
     LocalGeodesicFEFunction<gridDim, double, LocalFiniteElement, TargetSpace> localGeodesicFEFunction(localFiniteElement,