diff --git a/PhysicsTools/PyTorch/interface/Model.h b/PhysicsTools/PyTorch/interface/Model.h
index cf390eff8f47f..c0efd2df4fab0 100644
--- a/PhysicsTools/PyTorch/interface/Model.h
+++ b/PhysicsTools/PyTorch/interface/Model.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ namespace cms::torch {
       if (dev == device_)
         return;
 
-      assert(!is_frozen_ && "Model is frozen, cannot be moved to another device!");
+      TORCH_CHECK(!is_frozen_ && "Model is frozen, cannot be moved to another device!");
       model_.to(dev, non_blocking);
       device_ = dev;
       if (auto_freeze_) {
diff --git a/PhysicsTools/PyTorch/test/testModelJit.cc b/PhysicsTools/PyTorch/test/testModelJit.cc
index 52b296767951b..c3b459b0743f0 100644
--- a/PhysicsTools/PyTorch/test/testModelJit.cc
+++ b/PhysicsTools/PyTorch/test/testModelJit.cc
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ namespace torchtest {
 
     auto m_path = edm::FileInPath(modelPath).fullPath();
     forEachCudaDevice([&](auto dev) {
-      auto m = cms::torch::Model(m_path);
+      auto m = cms::torch::Model(m_path, false);
       m.to(dev);
 
       CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(dev, m.device());
@@ -86,6 +86,14 @@ namespace torchtest {
       m.to(::torch::kCPU);
       CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(::torch::kCPU, m.device().type());
     });
+
+    forEachCudaDevice([&](auto dev) {
+      auto m = cms::torch::Model(m_path);
+      m.to(dev);
+
+      CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(dev, m.device());
+      CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(m.to(::torch::kCPU), c10::Error);
+    });
   }
 
   void TestModelJIT::testToDevice_NonBlocking() {