diff --git a/PhysicsTools/PatAlgos/python/tools/jetTools.py b/PhysicsTools/PatAlgos/python/tools/jetTools.py
index 045cd03b4cece..c217ce6eb9b3c 100644
--- a/PhysicsTools/PatAlgos/python/tools/jetTools.py
+++ b/PhysicsTools/PatAlgos/python/tools/jetTools.py
@@ -646,6 +646,9 @@ def setupBTagging(process, jetSource, pfCandidates, explicitJTA, pvSource, svSou
                                     process, task)
                 
             if btagInfo == 'pfDeepDoubleXTagInfos':
+                # can only run on PAT jets, so the updater needs to be used
+                if 'updated' not in jetSource.value().lower():
+                    raise ValueError("Invalid jet collection: %s. pfDeepDoubleXTagInfos only supports running via updateJetCollection." % jetSource.value())
                 addToProcessAndTask(btagPrefix+btagInfo+labelName+postfix,
                                     btag.pfDeepDoubleXTagInfos.clone(
                                       jets = jetSource,
diff --git a/RecoBTag/FeatureTools/plugins/DeepDoubleXTagInfoProducer.cc b/RecoBTag/FeatureTools/plugins/DeepDoubleXTagInfoProducer.cc
index 9b2df7d5f1dc8..afe0819c10857 100644
--- a/RecoBTag/FeatureTools/plugins/DeepDoubleXTagInfoProducer.cc
+++ b/RecoBTag/FeatureTools/plugins/DeepDoubleXTagInfoProducer.cc
@@ -123,8 +123,9 @@ void DeepDoubleXTagInfoProducer::produce(edm::Event& iEvent, const edm::EventSet
 
     // reco jet reference (use as much as possible)
     const auto& jet = jets->at(jet_n);
-    const auto* pf_jet = dynamic_cast<const reco::PFJet*>(&jet);
     const auto* pat_jet = dynamic_cast<const pat::Jet*>(&jet);
+    if (!pat_jet)
+      throw edm::Exception(edm::errors::InvalidReference) << "Input is not a pat::Jet.";
 
     edm::RefToBase<reco::Jet> jet_ref(jets, jet_n);
     if (jet.pt() > min_jet_pt_) {
@@ -261,14 +262,6 @@ void DeepDoubleXTagInfoProducer::produce(edm::Event& iEvent, const edm::EventSet
           auto packed_cand = dynamic_cast<const pat::PackedCandidate*>(cand);
           auto reco_cand = dynamic_cast<const reco::PFCandidate*>(cand);
 
-          // need some edm::Ptr or edm::Ref if reco candidates
-          reco::PFCandidatePtr reco_ptr;
-          if (pf_jet) {
-            reco_ptr = pf_jet->getPFConstituent(i);
-          } else if (pat_jet && reco_cand) {
-            reco_ptr = pat_jet->getPFConstituent(i);
-          }
-
           float puppiw = 1.0;  // fallback value
 
           float drminpfcandsv = btagbtvdeep::mindrsvpfcand(svs_unsorted, cand, jet_radius_);