diff --git a/matlab/utilities/dataset/initialize_dataset.m b/matlab/utilities/dataset/initialize_dataset.m
index 483cd5a23..95d81cbb0 100644
--- a/matlab/utilities/dataset/initialize_dataset.m
+++ b/matlab/utilities/dataset/initialize_dataset.m
@@ -45,6 +45,16 @@ dataset_.info.ntobs = nobs;
 dataset_.info.nvobs = rows(varobs);
 dataset_.info.varobs = varobs;
 
+% Test the number of variables in the database.
+if dataset_.info.nvobs-size(rawdata,2)
+    disp(' ')
+    disp(['Declared number of observed variables = ' int2str(dataset.info.nvobs)])
+    disp(['Number of variables in the database   = ' int2str(size(rawdata,2))])
+    disp(' ')
+    error(['Estimation can''t take place because the declared number of observed' ...
+           'variables doesn''t match the number of variables in the database.'])
+end
+
 rawdata = rawdata(first:(first+dataset_.info.ntobs-1),:);
 
 % Take the log (or anything else) of the variables if needed