diff --git a/src/diagnostics/Diagnostic.cpp b/src/diagnostics/Diagnostic.cpp
index a41ddef91a..f498b3d827 100644
--- a/src/diagnostics/Diagnostic.cpp
+++ b/src/diagnostics/Diagnostic.cpp
@@ -365,12 +365,13 @@ Diagnostic::ResizeFDiagFAB (amrex::Vector<amrex::Geometry>& field_geom,
             }
         }
 
+        const amrex::Box sim_domain = domain;
+        amrex::Box cut_domain = domain;
         {
             // shrink box to user specified bounds m_diag_lo and m_diag_hi (in real space)
             const amrex::Real poff_x = GetPosOffset(0, geom, geom.Domain());
             const amrex::Real poff_y = GetPosOffset(1, geom, geom.Domain());
             const amrex::Real poff_z = GetPosOffset(2, geom, geom.Domain());
-            amrex::Box cut_domain = domain;
             if (fd.m_use_custom_size_lo) {
                 cut_domain.setSmall({
                     static_cast<int>(std::round((fd.m_diag_lo[0] - poff_x)/geom.CellSize(0))),
@@ -385,6 +386,10 @@ Diagnostic::ResizeFDiagFAB (amrex::Vector<amrex::Geometry>& field_geom,
                     static_cast<int>(std::round((fd.m_diag_hi[2] - poff_z)/geom.CellSize(2)))
                 });
             }
+            // sometimes the cut_domain is off by one cell due to rounding errors
+            if (!(domain & cut_domain).ok()) {
+                cut_domain.grow(1);
+            }
             // calculate intersection of boxes to prevent them getting larger
             domain &= cut_domain;
         }
@@ -402,13 +407,21 @@ Diagnostic::ResizeFDiagFAB (amrex::Vector<amrex::Geometry>& field_geom,
 
         domain.coarsen(fd.m_diag_coarsen);
 
-        fd.m_geom_io = amrex::Geometry(domain, &diag_domain, geom.Coord());
+        fd.m_has_field = hasFieldOutput(fd, output_step, max_step, output_time, max_time);
 
-        fd.m_has_field = domain.ok()
-                         && hasFieldOutput(fd, output_step, max_step, output_time, max_time);
+        AMREX_ALWAYS_ASSERT_WITH_MESSAGE(domain.ok(),
+            "Box for diagnostic object '" + fd.m_diag_name + "' is empty. "
+            "Make sure that it intersects with the simulation domain!\n"
+            "Simulation: " + amrex::ToString(sim_domain) + "\n"
+            "Diagnostic: " + amrex::ToString(cut_domain) + "\n"
+            "Intersection: " + amrex::ToString(domain)
+        );
 
         if(fd.m_has_field) {
             HIPACE_PROFILE("Diagnostic::ResizeFDiagFAB()");
+
+            fd.m_geom_io = amrex::Geometry(domain, &diag_domain, geom.Coord());
+
             switch (fd.m_base_geom_type) {
                 case FieldDiagnosticData::geom_type::field:
                     fd.m_F.resize(domain, fd.m_nfields, amrex::The_Pinned_Arena());