diff --git a/matlab/load_m_file_data.m b/matlab/load_m_file_data.m
index 4b3379772..5410c7772 100644
--- a/matlab/load_m_file_data.m
+++ b/matlab/load_m_file_data.m
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ else
     freq = 1;
 end
 
+if ~isequal(freq,init.freq)
+    error('load_m_file_data: INIT__ and FREQ__ are not consistent!')
+end
+
 if exist('NAMES__','var')
     varlist0 = NAMES__;
     clear('NAMES__');
diff --git a/matlab/load_mat_file_data.m b/matlab/load_mat_file_data.m
index 861427bc7..401d63487 100644
--- a/matlab/load_mat_file_data.m
+++ b/matlab/load_mat_file_data.m
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ else
     freq = 1;
 end
 
+if ~isequal(freq,init.freq)
+    error('load_mat_file_data: INIT__ and FREQ__ are not consistent!')
+end
+
 if isfield(datafile,'NAMES__')
     varlist = datafile.NAMES__;
     datafile = rmfield(datafile, 'NAMES__');