diff --git a/src/base/statistics.cc b/src/base/statistics.cc
index e3f3ad78b..545d08cab 100644
--- a/src/base/statistics.cc
+++ b/src/base/statistics.cc
@@ -441,6 +441,23 @@ registerResetCallback(Callback *cb)
     resetQueue.add(cb);
 }
 
+bool _enabled = false;
+
+bool
+enabled()
+{
+    return _enabled;
+}
+
+void
+enable()
+{
+    if (_enabled)
+        fatal("Stats are already enabled");
+
+    _enabled = true;
+}
+
 } // namespace Stats
 
 void
diff --git a/src/base/statistics.hh b/src/base/statistics.hh
index 1f8a59326..cb63af708 100644
--- a/src/base/statistics.hh
+++ b/src/base/statistics.hh
@@ -3126,6 +3126,8 @@ sum(Temp val)
 /** Dump all statistics data to the registered outputs */
 void dump();
 void reset();
+void enable();
+bool enabled();
 
 /**
  * Register a callback that should be called whenever statistics are
diff --git a/src/python/m5/stats/__init__.py b/src/python/m5/stats/__init__.py
index 9b5af84fb..1d7e3bc5d 100644
--- a/src/python/m5/stats/__init__.py
+++ b/src/python/m5/stats/__init__.py
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ def enable():
         stats_dict[stat.name] = stat
         stat.enable()
 
+    internal.stats.enable();
+
 def prepare():
     '''Prepare all stats for data access.  This must be done before
     dumping and serialization.'''
diff --git a/src/python/swig/stats.i b/src/python/swig/stats.i
index 87810d305..14a6966b1 100644
--- a/src/python/swig/stats.i
+++ b/src/python/swig/stats.i
@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ void schedStatEvent(bool dump, bool reset,
                     Tick when = curTick(), Tick repeat = 0);
 
 void processResetQueue();
+void enable();
+bool enabled();
 
 std::list<Info *> &statsList();
 
diff --git a/src/sim/system.cc b/src/sim/system.cc
index 40f5ea0ce..815a4cf1c 100644
--- a/src/sim/system.cc
+++ b/src/sim/system.cc
@@ -410,10 +410,11 @@ System::getMasterId(std::string master_name)
         }
     }
 
-    // todo: Check if stats are enabled yet
-    // I just don't know a good way to do it
+    // Verify that the statistics haven't been enabled yet
+    // Otherwise objects will have sized their stat buckets and
+    // they will be too small
 
-    if (false)
+    if (Stats::enabled())
         fatal("Can't request a masterId after regStats(). \
                 You must do so in init().\n");