diff --git a/gridded_glm/libexec/_minute_gridder.py b/gridded_glm/libexec/_minute_gridder.py
index 4742befa1942f8602d2ec89d9d2ff907dc339474..a3a2a298ab11d8600bcba099a71cace90b1ceba6 100644
--- a/gridded_glm/libexec/_minute_gridder.py
+++ b/gridded_glm/libexec/_minute_gridder.py
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@ def grid_setup(args, work_dir=os.getcwd()):
             log.error("Tried to grid file that does not exist: {}".format(f))
             exit(1)
 
+    if args.goes_sector == "meso" and (args.ctr_lat == None or args.ctr_lon == None):
+        log.error("sector 'meso' requires --ctr-lat & --ctr-lon")
+        exit(1)
+
     try:
         start_time, end_time = get_start_end(args.filenames)
     except: