diff --git a/src/classes/PMsr2Data.cpp b/src/classes/PMsr2Data.cpp
index 6d9171a4..bc8132de 100644
--- a/src/classes/PMsr2Data.cpp
+++ b/src/classes/PMsr2Data.cpp
@@ -697,6 +697,14 @@ bool PMsr2Data::PrepareGlobalInputFile(unsigned int tempRun, const std::string &
     // std::cout << "debug> " << msrParamList->at(i).fNo << ": " << msrParamList->at(i).fName.Data() << " is global: " << msrParamList->at(i).fIsGlobal << std::endl;
   }
 
+  // there should be at least one run specific parameter, otherwise the GLOBAL option doesn't make sense
+  if (fNumSpecParam == 0) {
+    std::cout << ">> msr2data: **ERROR** found NO run specific parameter, hence the GLOBAL option doesn't make sense." << std::endl;
+    std::cout << ">> msr2data:   Could it be, that your run specific labling is < 4 digits? Please check your msr-Input-File." << std::endl;
+    return false;
+  }
+
+
   // check if parameters have been sorted correctly from the beginning
   bool wasSorted(true);
   for (unsigned int i(0); i < fNumGlobalParam; ++i) {
diff --git a/src/msr2data.cpp b/src/msr2data.cpp
index 4f8ad9c9..be551d47 100644
--- a/src/msr2data.cpp
+++ b/src/msr2data.cpp
@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
   // Check if all given run numbers are covered by the formatting of the data file name
   status = msr2dataHandler->CheckRunNumbersInRange();
-  if(status) {
+  if (status) {
     std::cerr << std::endl;
     std::cerr << ">> msr2data: **ERROR** At least one given run number is out of range! Quitting..." << std::endl;
     return status;