diff --git a/loopy/check.py b/loopy/check.py
index 2556bee7b74bb1edcd88ca42fb2bc01567b472c2..8e1709b71ae9e849fae4726b84407f504a082f4d 100644
--- a/loopy/check.py
+++ b/loopy/check.py
@@ -502,6 +502,29 @@ def check_that_atomic_ops_are_used_exactly_on_atomic_arrays(kernel):
 # }}}
 
 
+# {{{ check that temporaries are defined in subkernels where used
+
+def check_that_temporaries_are_defined_in_subkernels_where_used(kernel):
+    from loopy.schedule.tools import InstructionQuery
+    from loopy.kernel.data import temp_var_scope
+
+    insn_query = InstructionQuery(kernel)
+
+    for subkernel in insn_query.subkernels():
+        for temporary in (
+                insn_query.temporaries_read_in_subkernel(subkernel) -
+                insn_query.temporaries_written_in_subkernel(subkernel)):
+
+            if kernel.temporary_variables[temporary].scope in (
+                    temp_var_scope.PRIVATE, temp_var_scope.LOCAL):
+                from loopy.diagnostic import MissingDefinitionError
+                raise MissingDefinitionError("temporary variable '%s' gets used in "
+                    "subkernel '%s' without a definition (maybe you forgot to call "
+                    "loopy.save_and_reload_temporaries?)" % (temporary, subkernel))
+
+# }}}
+
+
 # {{{ check that shapes and strides are arguments
 
 def check_that_shapes_and_strides_are_arguments(kernel):
@@ -552,6 +575,7 @@ def pre_codegen_checks(kernel):
 
         check_for_unused_hw_axes_in_insns(kernel)
         check_that_atomic_ops_are_used_exactly_on_atomic_arrays(kernel)
+        check_that_temporaries_are_defined_in_subkernels_where_used(kernel)
         kernel.target.pre_codegen_check(kernel)
         check_that_shapes_and_strides_are_arguments(kernel)
 
diff --git a/loopy/diagnostic.py b/loopy/diagnostic.py
index 29996d6c78b6fd99e52a750968291d0dd3d7c941..e76279c27e5fab5d01b3039d0e5dcc08c2fa749e 100644
--- a/loopy/diagnostic.py
+++ b/loopy/diagnostic.py
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ class DependencyTypeInferenceFailure(TypeInferenceFailure):
 class MissingBarrierError(LoopyError):
     pass
 
+
+class MissingDefinitionError(LoopyError):
+    pass
+
 # }}}
 
 
diff --git a/test/test_loopy.py b/test/test_loopy.py
index af4269047539b800a5fd389f9293f11551c9a291..81fe49cb42ad2dcc3c7dd69e54b758f3278a4517 100644
--- a/test/test_loopy.py
+++ b/test/test_loopy.py
@@ -1316,6 +1316,22 @@ def test_save_local_multidim_array(ctx_factory, debug=False):
     save_and_reload_temporaries_test(queue, knl, 1, debug)
 
 
+def test_missing_temporary_definition_detection():
+    knl = lp.make_kernel(
+            "{ [i]: 0<=i<10 }",
+            """
+            for i
+                <> t = 1
+                ... gbarrier
+                out[i] = t
+            end
+            """, seq_dependencies=True)
+
+    from loopy.diagnostic import MissingDefinitionError
+    with pytest.raises(MissingDefinitionError):
+        lp.generate_code_v2(knl)
+
+
 def test_global_temporary(ctx_factory):
     ctx = ctx_factory()