diff --git a/src/klist.c b/src/klist.c
index ab6b40b0..65e30448 100644
--- a/src/klist.c
+++ b/src/klist.c
@@ -205,6 +205,11 @@ void _k_add_head(K_LIST *list, K_ITEM *item, KLIST_FFL_ARGS)
 				list->name, __func__, item->name, KLIST_FFL_PASS);
 	}
 
+	if (item->prev || item->next) {
+		quithere(1, "%s() added item %s still linked" KLIST_FFL,
+				__func__, item->name, KLIST_FFL_PASS);
+	}
+
 	item->prev = NULL;
 	item->next = list->head;
 	if (list->head)
@@ -241,6 +246,11 @@ void _k_add_tail(K_LIST *list, K_ITEM *item, KLIST_FFL_ARGS)
 				list->name, __func__, KLIST_FFL_PASS);
 	}
 
+	if (item->prev || item->next) {
+		quithere(1, "%s() added item %s still linked" KLIST_FFL,
+				__func__, item->name, KLIST_FFL_PASS);
+	}
+
 	item->prev = list->tail;
 	item->next = NULL;
 	if (list->tail)