diff --git a/amdis/ProblemStat.hpp b/amdis/ProblemStat.hpp
index 494d33a617614b4863ed986fdb601ec772939606..50a6af4ca463a960bfe06b7724dff3f493c2e678 100644
--- a/amdis/ProblemStat.hpp
+++ b/amdis/ProblemStat.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <amdis/GridFunctions.hpp>
 #include <amdis/gridfunctions/DiscreteFunction.hpp>
 #include <amdis/io/FileWriterBase.hpp>
+#include <amdis/typetree/Traits.hpp>
 #include <amdis/typetree/TreePath.hpp>
 
 namespace AMDiS
@@ -103,8 +104,7 @@ namespace AMDiS
 
     /// \brief Constructor taking a grid and basis.
     /// Wraps both in shared pointers.
-    template <class Grid_, class Basis_,
-      class B_ = Underlying_t<Basis_>,
+    template <class Grid_, class Basis_, class B_ = Underlying_t<Basis_>,
       REQUIRES(Concepts::GlobalBasis<B_>)>
     ProblemStat(std::string const& name, Grid_&& grid, Basis_&& globalBasis)
       : ProblemStat(name, FWD(grid))
@@ -114,8 +114,7 @@ namespace AMDiS
 
     /// \brief Constructor taking a grid and pre-basis factory to create a global basis
     /// on the fly.
-    template <class Grid_, class PBF_,
-      class GV_ = typename Underlying_t<Grid_>::LeafGridView,
+    template <class Grid_, class PBF_, class GV_ = typename Underlying_t<Grid_>::LeafGridView,
       REQUIRES(Concepts::PreBasisFactory<PBF_, GV_, MultiIndex_t<PBF_>>)>
     ProblemStat(std::string const& name, Grid_&& grid, PBF_ const& preBasisFactory)
       : ProblemStat(name, FWD(grid))
@@ -161,7 +160,13 @@ namespace AMDiS
     template <class Operator, class RowTreePath = RootTreePath, class ColTreePath = RootTreePath>
     void addMatrixOperator(Operator const& op, RowTreePath row = {}, ColTreePath col = {})
     {
-      systemMatrix_->addOperator(tag::element_operator<Element>{}, op, row, col);
+      static constexpr bool isValidTreePath =
+        Concepts::ValidTreePath<typename GlobalBasis::LocalView::Tree, RowTreePath> &&
+        Concepts::ValidTreePath<typename GlobalBasis::LocalView::Tree, ColTreePath>;
+      static_assert(isValidTreePath, "Invalid row and/or col treepath passed to addMatrixOperator!");
+
+      if constexpr (isValidTreePath)
+        systemMatrix_->addOperator(tag::element_operator<Element>{}, op, row, col);
     }
 
     /// Operator evaluated on the boundary of the domain with boundary index `b`
@@ -187,7 +192,13 @@ namespace AMDiS
     void addMatrixOperator(BoundaryType b, Operator const& op, RowTreePath row = {}, ColTreePath col = {})
     {
       using I = typename GridView::Intersection;
-      systemMatrix_->addOperator(tag::boundary_operator<I>{*boundaryManager_,b}, op, row, col);
+      static constexpr bool isValidTreePath =
+        Concepts::ValidTreePath<typename GlobalBasis::LocalView::Tree, RowTreePath> &&
+        Concepts::ValidTreePath<typename GlobalBasis::LocalView::Tree, ColTreePath>;
+      static_assert(isValidTreePath, "Invalid row and/or col treepath passed to addMatrixOperator!");
+
+      if constexpr (isValidTreePath)
+        systemMatrix_->addOperator(tag::boundary_operator<I>{*boundaryManager_,b}, op, row, col);
     }
     /** @} */
 
@@ -212,7 +223,12 @@ namespace AMDiS
     template <class Operator, class TreePath = RootTreePath>
     void addVectorOperator(Operator const& op, TreePath path = {})
     {
-      rhs_->addOperator(tag::element_operator<Element>{}, op, path);
+      static constexpr bool isValidTreePath =
+        Concepts::ValidTreePath<typename GlobalBasis::LocalView::Tree, TreePath>;
+      static_assert(isValidTreePath, "Invalid treepath passed to addVectorOperator!");
+
+      if constexpr (isValidTreePath)
+        rhs_->addOperator(tag::element_operator<Element>{}, op, path);
     }
 
     /// Operator evaluated on the boundary of the domain with boundary index `b`
@@ -236,7 +252,12 @@ namespace AMDiS
     void addVectorOperator(BoundaryType b, Operator const& op, TreePath path = {})
     {
       using I = typename GridView::Intersection;
-      rhs_->addOperator(tag::boundary_operator<I>{*boundaryManager_,b}, op, path);
+      static constexpr bool isValidTreePath =
+        Concepts::ValidTreePath<typename GlobalBasis::LocalView::Tree, TreePath>;
+      static_assert(isValidTreePath, "Invalid treepath passed to addVectorOperator!");
+
+      if constexpr (isValidTreePath)
+        rhs_->addOperator(tag::boundary_operator<I>{*boundaryManager_,b}, op, path);
     }
     /** @} */
 
diff --git a/amdis/ProblemStat.inc.hpp b/amdis/ProblemStat.inc.hpp
index af4d67cafd777fb328f66602e96a6a95102b423e..0bb32194acebc9031e38790bfdfbf52e14e414d0 100644
--- a/amdis/ProblemStat.inc.hpp
+++ b/amdis/ProblemStat.inc.hpp
@@ -293,20 +293,28 @@ template <class Traits>
 void ProblemStat<Traits>::
 addDirichletBC(Predicate const& predicate, RowTreePath row, ColTreePath col, Values const& values)
 {
+  static constexpr bool isValidPredicate = Concepts::Functor<Predicate, bool(WorldVector)>;
   static_assert( Concepts::Functor<Predicate, bool(WorldVector)>,
     "Function passed to addDirichletBC for `predicate` does not model the Functor<bool(WorldVector)> concept");
 
-  auto localView = globalBasis_->localView();
-  auto i = makeTreePath(row);
-  auto j = makeTreePath(col);
-  auto rowBasis = Dune::Functions::subspaceBasis(*globalBasis_, i);
-  auto colBasis = Dune::Functions::subspaceBasis(*globalBasis_, j);
+  static constexpr bool isValidTreePath =
+    Concepts::ValidTreePath<typename GlobalBasis::LocalView::Tree, RowTreePath> &&
+    Concepts::ValidTreePath<typename GlobalBasis::LocalView::Tree, ColTreePath>;
+  static_assert(isValidTreePath, "Invalid row and/or col treepath passed to addDirichletBC!");
+
+  if constexpr (isValidPredicate && isValidTreePath) {
+    auto localView = globalBasis_->localView();
+    auto i = makeTreePath(row);
+    auto j = makeTreePath(col);
+    auto rowBasis = Dune::Functions::subspaceBasis(*globalBasis_, i);
+    auto colBasis = Dune::Functions::subspaceBasis(*globalBasis_, j);
 
-  auto valueGridFct = makeGridFunction(values, this->gridView());
+    auto valueGridFct = makeGridFunction(values, this->gridView());
 
-  auto bc = makeDirichletBC<SystemMatrix, SolutionVector, SystemVector>(
-              std::move(rowBasis), std::move(colBasis), {predicate}, valueGridFct);
-  boundaryConditions_[i][j].push_back(makeUniquePtr(std::move(bc)));
+    auto bc = makeDirichletBC<SystemMatrix, SolutionVector, SystemVector>(
+                std::move(rowBasis), std::move(colBasis), {predicate}, valueGridFct);
+    boundaryConditions_[i][j].push_back(makeUniquePtr(std::move(bc)));
+  }
 }
 
 
@@ -316,17 +324,24 @@ template <class Traits>
 void ProblemStat<Traits>::
 addDirichletBC(BoundaryType id, RowTreePath row, ColTreePath col, Values const& values)
 {
-  auto localView = globalBasis_->localView();
-  auto i = makeTreePath(row);
-  auto j = makeTreePath(col);
-  auto rowBasis = Dune::Functions::subspaceBasis(*globalBasis_, i);
-  auto colBasis = Dune::Functions::subspaceBasis(*globalBasis_, j);
-
-  auto valueGridFct = makeGridFunction(values, this->gridView());
-
-  auto bc = makeDirichletBC<SystemMatrix, SolutionVector, SystemVector>(
-              std::move(rowBasis), std::move(colBasis), {*boundaryManager_, id}, valueGridFct);
-  boundaryConditions_[i][j].push_back(makeUniquePtr(std::move(bc)));
+  static constexpr bool isValidTreePath =
+    Concepts::ValidTreePath<typename GlobalBasis::LocalView::Tree, RowTreePath> &&
+    Concepts::ValidTreePath<typename GlobalBasis::LocalView::Tree, ColTreePath>;
+  static_assert(isValidTreePath, "Invalid row and/or col treepath passed to addDirichletBC!");
+
+  if constexpr (isValidTreePath) {
+    auto localView = globalBasis_->localView();
+    auto i = makeTreePath(row);
+    auto j = makeTreePath(col);
+    auto rowBasis = Dune::Functions::subspaceBasis(*globalBasis_, i);
+    auto colBasis = Dune::Functions::subspaceBasis(*globalBasis_, j);
+
+    auto valueGridFct = makeGridFunction(values, this->gridView());
+
+    auto bc = makeDirichletBC<SystemMatrix, SolutionVector, SystemVector>(
+                std::move(rowBasis), std::move(colBasis), {*boundaryManager_, id}, valueGridFct);
+    boundaryConditions_[i][j].push_back(makeUniquePtr(std::move(bc)));
+  }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/amdis/typetree/CMakeLists.txt b/amdis/typetree/CMakeLists.txt
index d60bea745664cb6f826c94c3793b01e45422c50c..ccabc420345261ea015a9158085de957e07bf5d4 100644
--- a/amdis/typetree/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/amdis/typetree/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ install(FILES
     FiniteElementType.hpp
     MultiIndex.hpp
     RangeType.hpp
+    Traits.hpp
     Traversal.hpp
     TreeContainer.hpp
     TreePath.hpp
diff --git a/amdis/typetree/Traits.hpp b/amdis/typetree/Traits.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..0ca9399022e9ab6564f0bff87c488b122900ee20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/amdis/typetree/Traits.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <type_traits>
+
+#include <dune/typetree/treepath.hh>
+#include <amdis/typetree/TreePath.hpp>
+
+namespace AMDiS
+{
+  namespace Traits
+  {
+    template <class Tree, class TreePath, class NodeTag = typename Tree::NodeTag>
+    struct IsValidTreePath;
+
+    // empty treepath
+    template <class Tree, class NodeTag>
+    struct IsValidTreePath<Tree, Dune::TypeTree::HybridTreePath<>, NodeTag>
+        : std::true_type {};
+
+    // leaf nodes
+    template <class Tree, class I0, class... II>
+    struct IsValidTreePath<Tree, Dune::TypeTree::HybridTreePath<I0,II...>, Dune::TypeTree::LeafNodeTag>
+        : std::false_type {};
+
+    // power nodes
+    template <class Tree, class I0, class... II>
+    struct IsValidTreePath<Tree, Dune::TypeTree::HybridTreePath<I0,II...>, Dune::TypeTree::PowerNodeTag>
+        : IsValidTreePath<typename Tree::ChildType, Dune::TypeTree::HybridTreePath<II...>> {};
+
+    // composite node with integer index
+    template <class Tree, class I0, class... II>
+    struct IsValidTreePath<Tree, Dune::TypeTree::HybridTreePath<I0,II...>, Dune::TypeTree::CompositeNodeTag>
+        : std::false_type {};
+
+    // composite node with integral-constant index
+    template <class Tree, class Int, Int i, class... II>
+    struct IsValidTreePath<Tree, Dune::TypeTree::HybridTreePath<std::integral_constant<Int,i>,II...>, Dune::TypeTree::CompositeNodeTag>
+        : std::conditional_t<(i >= 0 && i < Tree::degree()),
+            IsValidTreePath<typename Tree::template Child<(i >= 0 && i < Tree::degree()) ? i : 0>::Type, Dune::TypeTree::HybridTreePath<II...>>,
+            std::false_type> {};
+
+  } // end namespace Traits
+
+  namespace Concepts
+  {
+    /// \brief Check whether `Path` is a valid index of treepath for the given typetree `Tree`
+    template <class Tree, class Path>
+    static constexpr bool ValidTreePath = Traits::IsValidTreePath<Tree,TYPEOF(makeTreePath(std::declval<Path>()))>::value;
+  }
+
+} // end namespace AMDiS
diff --git a/amdis/typetree/TreePath.hpp b/amdis/typetree/TreePath.hpp
index efd66a03f3b2fa4508970bcac35188ad87916946..7f6addc15412108d8b783dd4112e830e866490d8 100644
--- a/amdis/typetree/TreePath.hpp
+++ b/amdis/typetree/TreePath.hpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
 namespace AMDiS
 {
-  struct RootTreePath {};
+  using RootTreePath = Dune::TypeTree::HybridTreePath<>;
 
   namespace Concepts
   {
@@ -43,11 +43,6 @@ namespace AMDiS
         : std::conjunction<std::is_integral<Indices>...>
       {};
 
-      template <>
-      struct IsPreTreePath<RootTreePath>
-        : std::true_type
-      {};
-
     } // end namespace Definition
 
     template <class TP>
@@ -119,11 +114,6 @@ namespace AMDiS
     return Dune::TypeTree::hybridTreePath();
   }
 
-  inline auto makeTreePath(RootTreePath)
-  {
-    return makeTreePath();
-  }
-
   template <class Index, Index... I>
   auto makeTreePath(std::integer_sequence<Index, I...>)
   {
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 9f89e32f8f267e7fe99d18d2d8767e50f0b8f45b..d25f1cd74da68fda75934c3593b84d3e1f29a953 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -160,3 +160,6 @@ dune_add_test(SOURCES UniqueBorderPartitionTest.cpp
   MPI_RANKS 2
   TIMEOUT 300
   CMAKE_GUARD MPI_FOUND)
+
+dune_add_test(SOURCES ValidTreePathTest.cpp
+  LINK_LIBRARIES amdis)
diff --git a/test/ValidTreePathTest.cpp b/test/ValidTreePathTest.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..47cde694d56c54991f3fef4d46450c5c9143a21e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/ValidTreePathTest.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#include <config.h>
+
+#include <dune/grid/yaspgrid.hh>
+
+#include <dune/functions/functionspacebases/compositebasis.hh>
+#include <dune/functions/functionspacebases/lagrangebasis.hh>
+#include <dune/functions/functionspacebases/powerbasis.hh>
+
+#include <amdis/Environment.hpp>
+#include <amdis/common/TypeTraits.hpp>
+#include <amdis/typetree/Traits.hpp>
+#include <amdis/typetree/TreePath.hpp>
+
+using namespace AMDiS;
+
+int main (int argc, char** argv)
+{
+  Environment env(argc, argv);
+
+  Dune::YaspGrid<2> grid({1.0,1.0}, {1,1});
+
+  using namespace Dune::Functions::BasisFactory;
+  auto basis = makeBasis(grid.leafGridView(),
+    composite(
+      power<2>(lagrange<2>()),
+      lagrange<1>()
+    ));
+
+  using Tree = TYPEOF(basis.localView().tree());
+
+  // index access of composite node
+  static_assert(not Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,int>);
+  static_assert(not Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,std::size_t>);
+  static_assert(    Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,std::integral_constant<int,0>>);
+  static_assert(    Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,std::integral_constant<std::size_t,0>>);
+
+  static_assert(not Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,std::integral_constant<int,2>>);
+  static_assert(not Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,std::integral_constant<std::size_t,2>>);
+
+  using namespace Dune::Indices;
+
+  auto tp0 = makeTreePath(0);
+  auto tp1 = makeTreePath(_0);
+  static_assert(not Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,TYPEOF(tp0)>);
+  static_assert(    Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,TYPEOF(tp1)>);
+
+  auto tp2 = makeTreePath(_0,0);
+  auto tp3 = makeTreePath(_0,_0);
+  auto tp4 = makeTreePath(_1,0);
+  static_assert(    Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,TYPEOF(tp2)>);
+  static_assert(    Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,TYPEOF(tp3)>);
+  static_assert(not Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,TYPEOF(tp4)>);
+
+  auto tp5 = makeTreePath(_0,0,0);
+  auto tp6 = makeTreePath(_0,0,_0);
+  static_assert(not Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,TYPEOF(tp5)>);
+  static_assert(not Concepts::ValidTreePath<Tree,TYPEOF(tp6)>);
+}