diff --git a/src/ec_environment.F b/src/ec_environment.F
index 7c94c30380..0cbcceb799 100644
--- a/src/ec_environment.F
+++ b/src/ec_environment.F
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ CONTAINS
             pp_section => section_vals_get_subs_vals(xc_section, "VDW_POTENTIAL%PAIR_POTENTIAL")
             CALL qs_dispersion_pairpot_init(atomic_kind_set, qs_kind_set, dispersion_env, pp_section, para_env)
          ELSE IF (dispersion_env%type == xc_vdw_fun_nonloc) THEN
+            CPABORT("nl-vdW functionals not available for EC calculations")
             NULLIFY (nl_section)
             nl_section => section_vals_get_subs_vals(xc_section, "VDW_POTENTIAL%NON_LOCAL")
             CALL qs_dispersion_nonloc_init(dispersion_env, para_env)