diff --git a/include/abundances.hpp b/include/abundances.hpp
index ef3c5ce..f4a1a58 100644
--- a/include/abundances.hpp
+++ b/include/abundances.hpp
@@ -80,6 +80,13 @@ struct abundances {
                 return x.first < y.first;
             });
 
+            /* If this tests fails, then we need to change the value of
+                constants::most_frequent_abundance */
+            if (m_most_frequent_abundance != m_abundances.front().first) {
+                throw std::runtime_error("the most frequent abundance is not " +
+                                         std::to_string(constants::most_frequent_abundance));
+            }
+
             uint64_t rest = num_kmers - m_abundances.front().second;
             std::cout << "kmers that do not have the most frequent ab: " << rest << " ("
                       << (rest * 100.0) / num_kmers << "%)" << std::endl;
diff --git a/include/builder/build.cpp b/include/builder/build.cpp
index 1c3e980..fc95df6 100644
--- a/include/builder/build.cpp
+++ b/include/builder/build.cpp
@@ -89,8 +89,7 @@ void parse_file(std::istream& is, parse_data& data, build_configuration const& b
     };
 
     uint64_t seq_len = 0;
-    constexpr uint64_t most_frequent_abundance = 1;
-    data.abundances_builder.init(most_frequent_abundance);
+    data.abundances_builder.init(constants::most_frequent_abundance);
 
     /* intervals of kmer_ids */
     uint64_t kmer_id_value = constants::invalid;
@@ -145,7 +144,7 @@ void parse_file(std::istream& is, parse_data& data, build_configuration const& b
 
             data.abundances_builder.eat(ab);
 
-            if (ab != most_frequent_abundance) {
+            if (ab != constants::most_frequent_abundance) {
                 if (kmer_id_value == constants::invalid) {
                     kmer_id_value = num_kmers;
                     kmer_id_length = 1;
diff --git a/include/util.hpp b/include/util.hpp
index 105a058..c33172c 100644
--- a/include/util.hpp
+++ b/include/util.hpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ constexpr uint64_t hashcode_bits = 64;
 constexpr double c = 3.0;  // for PThash
 constexpr uint64_t min_l = 6;
 constexpr uint64_t max_l = 12;
+constexpr uint64_t most_frequent_abundance = 1;  // usual value
 }  // namespace constants
 
 typedef pthash::murmurhash2_64 base_hasher_type;