diff --git a/python/paddle/trainer/config_parser.py b/python/paddle/trainer/config_parser.py
index 57d30b088b873a94a11483aea536a9e4f6493129..9135f38719a44e3070f42e478d0fc6b0004227b5 100644
--- a/python/paddle/trainer/config_parser.py
+++ b/python/paddle/trainer/config_parser.py
@@ -2320,6 +2320,9 @@ def Memory(name,
         memory_name = name + "+delay1"
     agent_name = memory_name
     if is_sequence:
+        config_assert(
+            boot_layer is not None,
+            "there must be boot_layer in network when is_sequence = True")
         agent_layer = SequenceAgentLayer(agent_name, size)
     else:
         agent_layer = AgentLayer(agent_name, size)