diff --git a/src/aggregators/coevolve.jl b/src/aggregators/coevolve.jl
index 84cf3cac..9414cd78 100644
--- a/src/aggregators/coevolve.jl
+++ b/src/aggregators/coevolve.jl
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ function CoevolveJumpAggregation(nj::Int, njt::T, et::T, crs::Vector{T}, sr::Not
                                  rng::RNG; u::U, dep_graph = nothing, lrates, urates,
                                  rateintervals, haslratevec) where {T, S, F1, F2, RNG, U}
     if dep_graph === nothing
-        if (get_num_majumps(maj) == 0) || !isempty(rs)
+        if (get_num_majumps(maj) == 0) || !isempty(urates)
             error("To use Coevolve a dependency graph between jumps must be supplied.")
         else
             dg = make_dependency_graph(length(u), maj)
diff --git a/test/variable_rate.jl b/test/variable_rate.jl
index a520535a..99032fe3 100644
--- a/test/variable_rate.jl
+++ b/test/variable_rate.jl
@@ -144,3 +144,32 @@ x₀ = 1.0 + 0.0im
 prob = ODEProblem(f4, [x₀], Δt)
 jumpProblem = JumpProblem(prob, Direct(), jump)
 sol = solve(jumpProblem, Tsit5())
+
+# test to check lack of dependency graphs is caught in Coevolve for systems with non-maj
+# jumps
+let
+    maj_rate = [1.0]
+    react_stoich_ = [Vector{Pair{Int, Int}}()]
+    net_stoich_ = [[1 => 1]]
+    mass_action_jump_ = MassActionJump(maj_rate, react_stoich_, net_stoich_;
+                                       scale_rates = false)
+
+    affect! = function (integrator)
+        integrator.u[1] -= 1
+    end
+    cs_rate1(u, p, t) = 0.2 * u[1]
+    constant_rate_jump = ConstantRateJump(cs_rate1, affect!)
+    jumpset_ = JumpSet((), (constant_rate_jump,), nothing, mass_action_jump_)
+
+    u0 = [0]
+    tspan = (0.0, 30.0)
+    dprob_ = DiscreteProblem(u0, tspan)
+    alg = Coevolve()
+    @test_throws ErrorException JumpProblem(dprob_, alg, jumpset_,
+                                            save_positions = (false, false))
+
+    vrj = VariableRateJump(cs_rate1, affect!; urate = ((u, p, t) -> 1.0),
+                           rateinterval = ((u, p, t) -> 1.0))
+    @test_throws ErrorException JumpProblem(dprob_, alg, mass_action_jump_, vrj;
+                                            save_positions = (false, false))
+end