diff --git a/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i915/intel_batchbuffer.h b/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i915/intel_batchbuffer.h
index cca9aab8464..13333148456 100644
--- a/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i915/intel_batchbuffer.h
+++ b/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i915/intel_batchbuffer.h
@@ -104,7 +104,12 @@ intel_batchbuffer_require_space(struct intel_batchbuffer *batch,
 /* Here are the crusty old macros, to be removed:
  */
 #define BATCH_LOCALS 
-#define BEGIN_BATCH(n, flags) intel_batchbuffer_require_space(intel->batch, n*4, flags)
+
+#define BEGIN_BATCH(n, flags) do {				\
+   assert(!intel->prim.flush);					\
+   intel_batchbuffer_require_space(intel->batch, n*4, flags);	\
+} while (0)
+
 #define OUT_BATCH(d)  intel_batchbuffer_emit_dword(intel->batch, d)
 #define OUT_RELOC(buf,flags,delta) intel_batchbuffer_emit_reloc(intel->batch, buf, flags, delta)
 #define ADVANCE_BATCH() do { } while(0)