diff --git a/sources/equations.F90 b/sources/equations.F90
index e8f1723..da50da6 100644
--- a/sources/equations.F90
+++ b/sources/equations.F90
@@ -1412,7 +1412,7 @@ module equations
 !
 !===============================================================================
 !
-  subroutine update_primitive_variables(uu, qq)
+  subroutine update_primitive_variables(uu, qq, status)
 
 ! include external procedures and variables
 !
@@ -1427,6 +1427,7 @@ module equations
 !
     real(kind=8), dimension(:,:,:,:), intent(inout) :: uu
     real(kind=8), dimension(:,:,:,:), intent(inout) :: qq
+    integer                         , intent(out)   :: status
 
 ! temporary variables
 !
@@ -1434,6 +1435,8 @@ module equations
 !
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !
+    status = 0
+
 ! update primitive variables
 !
 #if NDIMS == 3
diff --git a/sources/evolution.F90 b/sources/evolution.F90
index 8136418..878f117 100644
--- a/sources/evolution.F90
+++ b/sources/evolution.F90
@@ -3627,7 +3627,10 @@ module evolution
     do while (associated(pdata))
       pmeta => pdata%meta
 
-      if (pmeta%update) call update_primitive_variables(pdata%u, pdata%q)
+      if (pmeta%update) then
+        call update_primitive_variables(pdata%u, pdata%q, status)
+        if (status /= 0) go to 100
+      end if
 
       pdata => pdata%next
     end do
@@ -3671,6 +3674,8 @@ module evolution
       end do
     end if
 
+    100 continue
+
 #ifdef PROFILE
     call stop_timer(imv)
 #endif /* PROFILE */