diff --git a/src/conky.c b/src/conky.c
index d31698f6..50cbb2ad 100644
--- a/src/conky.c
+++ b/src/conky.c
@@ -898,12 +898,12 @@ void generate_text_internal(char *p, int p_max_size,
 				print_cmdline_to_pid(obj, p, p_max_size);
 			}
 			OBJ(cpu) {
-				if (obj->data.i > info.cpu_count) {
-					NORM_ERR("obj->data.i %i info.cpu_count %i",
-							obj->data.i, info.cpu_count);
-					CRIT_ERR(NULL, NULL, "attempting to use more CPUs than you have!");
-				}
 				if (cur->cpu_usage) {
+					if (obj->data.i > info.cpu_count) {
+						NORM_ERR("obj->data.i %i info.cpu_count %i",
+								obj->data.i, info.cpu_count);
+						CRIT_ERR(NULL, NULL, "attempting to use more CPUs than you have!");
+					}
 				    percent_print(p, p_max_size,
 				              round_to_int(cur->cpu_usage[obj->data.i] * 100.0));
 				}