diff --git a/matsciml/models/base.py b/matsciml/models/base.py
index e6d215a0..d6309089 100644
--- a/matsciml/models/base.py
+++ b/matsciml/models/base.py
@@ -894,12 +894,26 @@ def _compute_losses(
         targets = self._get_targets(batch)
         predictions = self(batch)
         losses = {}
+        used_norm = []
         for key in self.task_keys:
             target_val = targets[key]
             if self.uses_normalizers:
                 target_val = self.normalizers[key].norm(target_val)
+                used_norm.append(key)
             losses[key] = self.loss_func(predictions[key], target_val)
         total_loss: torch.Tensor = sum(losses.values())
+        # trigger warning for when we infer normalization intent but
+        # not actually executed
+        if len(used_norm) == 0 and self.uses_normalizers:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                "Target normalization was intended but not used."
+                f"Please check your config - expected: {self.task_keys}"
+            )
+        if len(used_norm) != len(self.normalizers):
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                "Normalization was performed, but number of keys do not match."
+                f"Expected {len(self.normalizers)} keys, but only used {len(used_norm)}."
+            )
         return {"loss": total_loss, "log": losses}
 
     def configure_optimizers(self) -> torch.optim.AdamW: