diff --git a/Source/WarpX.cpp b/Source/WarpX.cpp
index f3c407ace91..6df11008687 100644
--- a/Source/WarpX.cpp
+++ b/Source/WarpX.cpp
@@ -907,9 +907,16 @@ WarpX::ReadParameters ()
         pp_warpx.query("do_dive_cleaning", do_dive_cleaning);
         pp_warpx.query("do_divb_cleaning", do_divb_cleaning);
 
-        // Update default to external projection divb cleaner if external fields are loaded
+        // Update default to external projection divb cleaner if external fields are loaded,
+        // the grids are staggered, and the solver is compatible with the cleaner
         if (m_p_ext_field_params->B_ext_grid_type != ExternalFieldType::default_zero
-            && m_p_ext_field_params->B_ext_grid_type != ExternalFieldType::constant)
+            && m_p_ext_field_params->B_ext_grid_type != ExternalFieldType::constant
+            && grid_type != GridType::Collocated
+            && (WarpX::electromagnetic_solver_id == ElectromagneticSolverAlgo::Yee
+            ||  WarpX::electromagnetic_solver_id == ElectromagneticSolverAlgo::HybridPIC
+            ||  ( (WarpX::electrostatic_solver_id == ElectrostaticSolverAlgo::LabFrame
+                || WarpX::electrostatic_solver_id == ElectrostaticSolverAlgo::LabFrameElectroMagnetostatic)
+                && WarpX::poisson_solver_id == PoissonSolverAlgo::Multigrid)))
         {
             do_divb_cleaning_external = true;
         }