diff --git a/srsenb/src/enb_cfg_parser.cc b/srsenb/src/enb_cfg_parser.cc
index a704c3a93..cc55e202d 100644
--- a/srsenb/src/enb_cfg_parser.cc
+++ b/srsenb/src/enb_cfg_parser.cc
@@ -747,6 +747,10 @@ static int parse_cell_list(all_args_t* args, rrc_cfg_t* rrc_cfg, Setting& root)
 
     if (cellroot.exists("ho_active") and cellroot["ho_active"]) {
       HANDLEPARSERCODE(parse_meas_cell_list(&cell_cfg.meas_cfg, cellroot["meas_cell_list"]));
+      if (not cellroot.exists("meas_report_desc")) {
+        ERROR("PARSER ERROR: \"ho_active\" is set to true, but field \"meas_report_desc\" doesn't exist.\n");
+        return -1;
+      }
       HANDLEPARSERCODE(parse_meas_report_desc(&cell_cfg.meas_cfg, cellroot["meas_report_desc"]));
     }