diff --git a/com.oracle.truffle.r.runtime/src/com/oracle/truffle/r/runtime/ffi/RFFIFactory.java b/com.oracle.truffle.r.runtime/src/com/oracle/truffle/r/runtime/ffi/RFFIFactory.java
index 42ce173b99b68c5324fa6244fdd03340e9b61356..49dbd74b117d34cba1148fe5086826034268f6e1 100644
--- a/com.oracle.truffle.r.runtime/src/com/oracle/truffle/r/runtime/ffi/RFFIFactory.java
+++ b/com.oracle.truffle.r.runtime/src/com/oracle/truffle/r/runtime/ffi/RFFIFactory.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public abstract class RFFIFactory {
     }
 
     public static RFFI getRFFI() {
+        assert theRFFI != null : "RFFI factory is not initialized!";
         return theRFFI;
     }