diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/collection/ShadeListBuilder.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/collection/ShadeListBuilder.java
index 369ef343a4e23..2baa0797b41f1 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/collection/ShadeListBuilder.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/collection/ShadeListBuilder.java
@@ -230,7 +230,13 @@ public class ShadeListBuilder implements Dumpable {
         mPipelineState.requireState(STATE_IDLE);
 
         mNotifSections.clear();
+        NotifSectioner lastSection = null;
         for (NotifSectioner sectioner : sectioners) {
+            if (lastSection != null && lastSection.getBucket() > sectioner.getBucket()) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("setSectioners with non contiguous sections "
+                        + lastSection.getName() + " - " + lastSection.getBucket() + " & "
+                        + sectioner.getName() + " - " + sectioner.getBucket());
+            }
             final NotifSection section = new NotifSection(sectioner, mNotifSections.size());
             final NotifComparator sectionComparator = section.getComparator();
             mNotifSections.add(section);
@@ -238,6 +244,7 @@ public class ShadeListBuilder implements Dumpable {
             if (sectionComparator != null) {
                 sectionComparator.setInvalidationListener(this::onNotifComparatorInvalidated);
             }
+            lastSection = sectioner;
         }
 
         mNotifSections.add(new NotifSection(DEFAULT_SECTIONER, mNotifSections.size()));
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/collection/render/NodeSpecBuilder.kt b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/collection/render/NodeSpecBuilder.kt
index c35b77cfb4e06..6db544c77f876 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/collection/render/NodeSpecBuilder.kt
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/collection/render/NodeSpecBuilder.kt
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class NodeSpecBuilder(
 
         var currentSection: NotifSection? = null
         val prevSections = mutableSetOf<NotifSection?>()
+        var lastSection: NotifSection? = null
         val showHeaders = sectionHeaderVisibilityProvider.sectionHeadersVisible
         val sectionOrder = mutableListOf<NotifSection?>()
         val sectionHeaders = mutableMapOf<NotifSection?, NodeController?>()
@@ -65,6 +66,14 @@ class NodeSpecBuilder(
         for (entry in notifList) {
             val section = entry.section!!
 
+            lastSection?.let {
+                if (it.bucket > section.bucket) {
+                    throw IllegalStateException("buildNodeSpec with non contiguous section " +
+                            "buckets ${it.sectioner.name} - ${it.bucket} & " +
+                            "${it.sectioner.name} - ${it.bucket}")
+                }
+            }
+            lastSection = section
             if (prevSections.contains(section)) {
                 throw java.lang.RuntimeException("Section ${section.label} has been duplicated")
             }