diff --git a/framework/src/meshgenerators/LowerDBlockFromSidesetGenerator.C b/framework/src/meshgenerators/LowerDBlockFromSidesetGenerator.C
index 768ef9ade734..ba591531215f 100644
--- a/framework/src/meshgenerators/LowerDBlockFromSidesetGenerator.C
+++ b/framework/src/meshgenerators/LowerDBlockFromSidesetGenerator.C
@@ -150,8 +150,16 @@ LowerDBlockFromSidesetGenerator::generate()
     if (sidesets.count(std::get<2>(triple)))
     {
       if (auto elem = mesh->query_elem_ptr(std::get<0>(triple)))
+      {
+        if (!elem->active())
+          mooseError(
+              "Only active, level 0 elements can be made interior parents of new level 0 lower-d "
+              "elements. Make sure that ",
+              type(),
+              "s are run before any refinement generators");
         element_sides_on_boundary.push_back(
             std::make_pair(counter, ElemSideDouble(elem, std::get<1>(triple))));
+      }
       ++counter;
     }
 
diff --git a/test/tests/meshgenerators/lower_d_block_generator/refine-error.i b/test/tests/meshgenerators/lower_d_block_generator/refine-error.i
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..aec75c70af78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/tests/meshgenerators/lower_d_block_generator/refine-error.i
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+[Mesh]
+  [gmg]
+    type = GeneratedMeshGenerator
+    dim = 2
+    nx = 10
+    ny = 10
+  []
+  [refine]
+    type = RefineSidesetGenerator
+    boundaries = 'left'
+    refinement = '1'
+    input = gmg
+  []
+  [lower_d_block]
+    type = LowerDBlockFromSidesetGenerator
+    input = refine
+    new_block_id = 10
+    sidesets = 'bottom right top left'
+  []
+[]
diff --git a/test/tests/meshgenerators/lower_d_block_generator/tests b/test/tests/meshgenerators/lower_d_block_generator/tests
index c905a4224dfc..0fc879dd1fd3 100644
--- a/test/tests/meshgenerators/lower_d_block_generator/tests
+++ b/test/tests/meshgenerators/lower_d_block_generator/tests
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
       recover = false
     []
   []
-  
+
   [second_order]
     requirement = "The system shall support the creation of lower dimensional elements on an "
                   "existing sideset of second-order elements."
@@ -32,4 +32,12 @@
     cli_args = 'Mesh/second_order=true Outputs/file_base=lower_d_second_order_out '
                  'GlobalParams/order=SECOND Mesh/gmg/nx=5 Mesh/gmg/ny=5'
   []
+  [dont_refine_before]
+    requirement = 'The system shall error if refinement generators are executed before lower dimensional elements are added.'
+    issues = '#24638'
+    type = 'RunException'
+    cli_args = '--mesh-only'
+    expect_err = 'Make sure that LowerDBlockFromSidesetGenerators are run before any refinement generators'
+    input = 'refine-error.i'
+  []
 []