diff --git a/gds-utils/gds-tree-checker.c b/gds-utils/gds-tree-checker.c
index bb571d6..22500f8 100644
--- a/gds-utils/gds-tree-checker.c
+++ b/gds-utils/gds-tree-checker.c
@@ -176,6 +176,16 @@ int gds_tree_check_reference_loops(struct gds_library *lib)
 		/* iterate through references and check if loop exists */
 		res = gds_tree_check_iterate_ref_and_check(cell_to_check, &visited_cells);
 
+		if (visited_cells) {
+			/* If  cell contains no loop, print error when list not empty.
+			 * In case of a loop, it is completely normal that the list is not empty,
+			 * due to the instant return from gds_tree_check_iterate_ref_and_check()
+			 */
+			if (res == 0)
+				fprintf(stderr, "Visited cell list should be empty. This is a bug. Please report this.\n");
+			g_list_free(visited_cells);
+		}
+
 		if (res < 0) {
 			/* Error */
 			return res;
@@ -190,10 +200,6 @@ int gds_tree_check_reference_loops(struct gds_library *lib)
 
 	}
 
-	if (visited_cells) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Visited cell list should be empty. This is a bug. Please report this.\n");
-		g_list_free(visited_cells);
-	}
 
 	return loop_count;
 }