diff --git a/DataFormats/simulation/include/SimulationDataFormat/DigitizationContext.h b/DataFormats/simulation/include/SimulationDataFormat/DigitizationContext.h
index 4bd5dfa2ab76c..5e1f5f66b3f65 100644
--- a/DataFormats/simulation/include/SimulationDataFormat/DigitizationContext.h
+++ b/DataFormats/simulation/include/SimulationDataFormat/DigitizationContext.h
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@ inline void DigitizationContext::retrieveHits(std::vector<TChain*> const& chains
                                               int entryID,
                                               std::vector<T>* hits) const
 {
+  if (chains.size() <= sourceID) {
+    return;
+  }
   auto br = chains[sourceID]->GetBranch(brname);
   if (!br) {
     LOG(error) << "No branch found with name " << brname;
diff --git a/DataFormats/simulation/src/DigitizationContext.cxx b/DataFormats/simulation/src/DigitizationContext.cxx
index f3c993c9508b7..975458c41fcb3 100644
--- a/DataFormats/simulation/src/DigitizationContext.cxx
+++ b/DataFormats/simulation/src/DigitizationContext.cxx
@@ -99,6 +99,14 @@ bool DigitizationContext::initSimChains(o2::detectors::DetID detid, std::vector<
     return false;
   }
 
+  // check that all files are present, otherwise quit
+  for (int source = 0; source < mSimPrefixes.size(); ++source) {
+    if (!std::filesystem::exists(o2::base::DetectorNameConf::getHitsFileName(detid, mSimPrefixes[source].data()))) {
+      LOG(info) << "Not hit file present for " << detid.getName() << " (exiting SimChain setup)";
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
   simchains.emplace_back(new TChain("o2sim"));
   // add the main (background) file
   simchains.back()->AddFile(o2::base::DetectorNameConf::getHitsFileName(detid, mSimPrefixes[0].data()).c_str());