diff --git a/go/logic/migrator.go b/go/logic/migrator.go
index c12c21f..876ee0f 100644
--- a/go/logic/migrator.go
+++ b/go/logic/migrator.go
@@ -796,6 +796,9 @@ func (this *Migrator) initiateInspector() (err error) {
 	} else if this.migrationContext.InspectorIsAlsoApplier() && !this.migrationContext.AllowedRunningOnMaster {
 		return fmt.Errorf("It seems like this migration attempt to run directly on master. Preferably it would be executed on a replica (and this reduces load from the master). To proceed please provide --allow-on-master. Inspector config=%+v, applier config=%+v", this.migrationContext.InspectorConnectionConfig, this.migrationContext.ApplierConnectionConfig)
 	}
+	if this.migrationContext.InspectorIsAlsoApplier() && this.migrationContext.SwitchToRowBinlogFormat {
+		return fmt.Errorf("--switch-to-rbr is only allowed when inspecting a replica. This migration seems to run on the primary %+v", *this.migrationContext.ApplierConnectionConfig.ImpliedKey)
+	}
 	if err := this.inspector.validateLogSlaveUpdates(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}