diff --git a/mesh_handle/competences/element_data_competences.hxx b/mesh_handle/competences/element_data_competences.hxx
index 093f617014..ca93f62a7f 100644
--- a/mesh_handle/competences/element_data_competences.hxx
+++ b/mesh_handle/competences/element_data_competences.hxx
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ class element_data_mesh_competence_impl: public t8_crtp_basic<TUnderlying> {
     sc_array_destroy (sc_array_wrapper);
   }
 
+ protected:
   /** Repartition the element data so it follows a newly partitioned forest.
    * The element data currently belongs to \a forest_from; this moves it to the layout of \a forest_to, which must
    * have been created by partitioning \a forest_from.
@@ -179,7 +180,6 @@ class element_data_mesh_competence_impl: public t8_crtp_basic<TUnderlying> {
     set_element_data (std::move (partitioned_data));
   }
 
- protected:
   std::vector<TElementDataType> m_element_data; /**< Vector storing the (local) element data. */
 };
 
diff --git a/mesh_handle/mesh.hxx b/mesh_handle/mesh.hxx
index 2c4ae04572..3bf24c27b9 100644
--- a/mesh_handle/mesh.hxx
+++ b/mesh_handle/mesh.hxx
@@ -533,7 +533,11 @@ class mesh: public TMeshCompetencePack::template apply<mesh<TElementCompetencePa
     // If no data is set (e.g. if we partition the mesh before setting data), nothing has to be done for the data.
     bool data_set = false;
     if constexpr (has_element_data_handler_competence ()) {
-      data_set = !this->get_element_data ().empty ();
+      // We need to make sure that the variable is the same on all processes.
+      int local_data_set = !this->get_element_data ().empty ();
+      int global_data_set;
+      sc_MPI_Allreduce (&local_data_set, &global_data_set, 1, sc_MPI_INT, sc_MPI_LOR, t8_forest_get_mpicomm (m_forest));
+      data_set = global_data_set;
     }
     // True if the data is interpolated in this commit: Only if data is set and the elements change.
     bool interpolate = false;