diff --git a/flink-compiler/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/compiler/PactCompiler.java b/flink-compiler/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/compiler/PactCompiler.java
index 1ee14138435e3bbbaceb5b5b35ad5fde8d6929ac..b55dea0e59a6d3d779ace193ed8d373d07a09490 100644
--- a/flink-compiler/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/compiler/PactCompiler.java
+++ b/flink-compiler/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/compiler/PactCompiler.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
+import org.apache.flink.api.common.InvalidProgramException;
 import org.apache.flink.api.common.Plan;
 import org.apache.flink.api.common.operators.Operator;
 import org.apache.flink.api.common.operators.Union;
@@ -704,6 +705,10 @@ public class PactCompiler {
 				n = new BinaryUnionNode((Union<?>) c);
 			}
 			else if (c instanceof PartialSolutionPlaceHolder) {
+				if (this.parent == null) {
+					throw new InvalidProgramException("It is currently not supported to create data sinks inside iterations.");
+				}
+				
 				final PartialSolutionPlaceHolder<?> holder = (PartialSolutionPlaceHolder<?>) c;
 				final BulkIterationBase<?> enclosingIteration = holder.getContainingBulkIteration();
 				final BulkIterationNode containingIterationNode =
@@ -715,6 +720,10 @@ public class PactCompiler {
 				n = p;
 			}
 			else if (c instanceof WorksetPlaceHolder) {
+				if (this.parent == null) {
+					throw new InvalidProgramException("It is currently not supported to create data sinks inside iterations.");
+				}
+				
 				final WorksetPlaceHolder<?> holder = (WorksetPlaceHolder<?>) c;
 				final DeltaIterationBase<?, ?> enclosingIteration = holder.getContainingWorksetIteration();
 				final WorksetIterationNode containingIterationNode =
@@ -726,6 +735,10 @@ public class PactCompiler {
 				n = p;
 			}
 			else if (c instanceof SolutionSetPlaceHolder) {
+				if (this.parent == null) {
+					throw new InvalidProgramException("It is currently not supported to create data sinks inside iterations.");
+				}
+				
 				final SolutionSetPlaceHolder<?> holder = (SolutionSetPlaceHolder<?>) c;
 				final DeltaIterationBase<?, ?> enclosingIteration = holder.getContainingWorksetIteration();
 				final WorksetIterationNode containingIterationNode =