diff --git a/qupulse/program/linspace.py b/qupulse/program/linspace.py
index 6c8dc9b96..d7f9170c8 100644
--- a/qupulse/program/linspace.py
+++ b/qupulse/program/linspace.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 import contextlib
 import dataclasses
+import warnings
+
 import numpy as np
 import math
 import copy
@@ -16,7 +18,7 @@
 from qupulse.parameter_scope import Scope, MappedScope, FrozenDict
 from qupulse.program import (ProgramBuilder, HardwareTime, HardwareVoltage, Waveform, RepetitionCount, TimeType,
                              SimpleExpression)
-from qupulse.program.waveforms import MultiChannelWaveform
+from qupulse.program.volatile import VolatileRepetitionCount, InefficientVolatility
 
 # this resolution is used to unify increments
 # the increments themselves remain floats
@@ -256,6 +258,10 @@ def with_repetition(self, repetition_count: RepetitionCount,
                         measurements: Optional[Sequence[MeasurementWindow]] = None) -> Iterable['ProgramBuilder']:
         if repetition_count == 0:
             return
+        if isinstance(repetition_count, VolatileRepetitionCount):
+            warnings.warn(f"{type(self).__name__} does not support volatile repetition counts.",
+                          category=InefficientVolatility)
+
         self._stack.append([])
         yield self
         blocks = self._stack.pop()
diff --git a/qupulse/program/loop.py b/qupulse/program/loop.py
index 9e59f9d32..1c61f3a10 100644
--- a/qupulse/program/loop.py
+++ b/qupulse/program/loop.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 from qupulse.parameter_scope import Scope
 from qupulse.program import ProgramBuilder, RepetitionCount, HardwareTime, HardwareVoltage
 from qupulse.program.transformation import Transformation
-from qupulse.program.volatile import VolatileRepetitionCount, VolatileProperty
+from qupulse.program.volatile import VolatileRepetitionCount, VolatileProperty, VolatileModificationWarning
 from qupulse.program.waveforms import SequenceWaveform, RepetitionWaveform
 from qupulse.program.waveforms import TransformingWaveform
 from qupulse.program.waveforms import Waveform, ConstantWaveform
@@ -727,11 +727,6 @@ class MakeCompatibleWarning(ResourceWarning):
     pass
 
 
-class VolatileModificationWarning(RuntimeWarning):
-    """This warning is emitted if the colatile part of a program gets modified. This might imply that the volatile
-    parameter cannot be change anymore."""
-
-
 class DroppedMeasurementWarning(RuntimeWarning):
     """This warning is emitted if a measurement was dropped because there was no waveform attached."""
 
diff --git a/qupulse/program/volatile.py b/qupulse/program/volatile.py
index ab0925ae1..30e66420b 100644
--- a/qupulse/program/volatile.py
+++ b/qupulse/program/volatile.py
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 from qupulse.utils import is_integer
 
 
-__all__ = ['VolatileProperty', 'VolatileValue', 'VolatileRepetitionCount']
+__all__ = ['VolatileProperty', 'VolatileValue', 'VolatileRepetitionCount',
+           'InefficientVolatility', 'VolatileModificationWarning']
 
 
 VolatileProperty = NamedTuple('VolatileProperty', [('expression', Expression),
@@ -75,3 +76,12 @@ def __eq__(self, other):
             return self._scope is other._scope and self._expression == other._expression
         else:
             return NotImplemented
+
+
+class InefficientVolatility(RuntimeWarning):
+    """This warning is emitted if the requested volatility of a parameter cannot be implemented efficiently by the backend."""
+
+
+class VolatileModificationWarning(InefficientVolatility):
+    """This warning is emitted if the volatile part of a program gets modified.
+    This might imply that the volatile parameter cannot be changed anymore."""