diff --git a/src/vt/topos/location/location.h b/src/vt/topos/location/location.h
index 1e465e0e34..ef4a723058 100644
--- a/src/vt/topos/location/location.h
+++ b/src/vt/topos/location/location.h
@@ -441,6 +441,22 @@ struct EntityLocationCoord : LocationCoord {
    */
   LocInstType getInst() const;
 
+  /**
+   * \brief Whether dynamic membership is allowed
+   *
+   * \return whether it is allowed
+   */
+  bool hasDynamicMembership() const { return dynamic_membership_; }
+
+  /**
+   * \brief Set whether dynamic membership is allowed
+   *
+   * \param[in] in_dynamic_membership whether it is allowed
+   */
+  void setDynamicMembership(bool in_dynamic_membership) {
+    dynamic_membership_ = in_dynamic_membership;
+  }
+
 private:
   LocInstType this_inst = no_loc_inst;
 
@@ -461,6 +477,10 @@ struct EntityLocationCoord : LocationCoord {
 
   // List of nodes that inquire about an entity that require an update
   LocAsksType loc_asks_;
+
+  /// Whether the managed entities have dynamic membership (deletions/insertions
+  /// after construction)
+  bool dynamic_membership_ = false;
 };
 
 }}  // end namespace vt::location
diff --git a/src/vt/topos/location/location.impl.h b/src/vt/topos/location/location.impl.h
index b0f065f3ad..c6947f7a6c 100644
--- a/src/vt/topos/location/location.impl.h
+++ b/src/vt/topos/location/location.impl.h
@@ -114,6 +114,13 @@ void EntityLocationCoord<EntityID>::registerEntity(
 
   local_registered_.insert(id);
 
+  if (not migrated and not hasDynamicMembership()) {
+    vtAssert(
+      not recs_.exists(id),
+      "Duplicate insertion of the same entity is not allowed"
+    );
+  }
+
   recs_.insert(id, home, LocRecType{id, eLocState::Local, this_node});
 
   if (msg_action != nullptr) {
@@ -788,6 +795,13 @@ void EntityLocationCoord<EntityID>::updatePendingRequest(
 
     pending_actions_.erase(pending_iter);
   } else {
+    if (not hasDynamicMembership()) {
+      vtAssert(
+        not recs_.exists(id),
+        "Duplicate insertion of the same entity is not allowed"
+      );
+    }
+
     recs_.insert(id, home_node, LocRecType{id, eLocState::Remote, node});
 
     // trigger any pending actions upon registration
diff --git a/src/vt/vrt/collection/collection_builder.impl.h b/src/vt/vrt/collection/collection_builder.impl.h
index 28004bd2c7..ae1bc2cbed 100644
--- a/src/vt/vrt/collection/collection_builder.impl.h
+++ b/src/vt/vrt/collection/collection_builder.impl.h
@@ -131,7 +131,8 @@ void CollectionManager::makeCollectionImpl(param::ConstructParams<ColT>& po) {
 
   // Invoke getCollectionLM() to create a new location manager instance for
   // this collection
-  theLocMan()->getCollectionLM<IndexType>(proxy);
+  auto lm = theLocMan()->getCollectionLM<IndexType>(proxy);
+  lm->setDynamicMembership(has_dynamic_membership);
 
   // Insert action on cleanup for this collection
   addCleanupFn<ColT>(proxy);