diff --git a/pvnet_app/data/satellite.py b/pvnet_app/data/satellite.py
index ed56d0d..7f95d9b 100644
--- a/pvnet_app/data/satellite.py
+++ b/pvnet_app/data/satellite.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 sat_5_path = "sat_5_min.zarr"
 sat_15_path = "sat_15_min.zarr"
 
+# The percentage of zeros in the satellite data that is acceptable
+ERROR_ZERO_PERCENTAGE = 0.1
+
 
 def download_all_sat_data() -> bool:
     """Download the sat data and return whether it was successful
@@ -339,9 +342,36 @@ def preprocess_sat_data(t0: pd.Timestamp, use_legacy: bool = False) -> pd.Dateti
     # non-nan timestamp
     extend_satellite_data_with_nans(t0)
 
+    # Check for zeros in the satellite data
+    check_for_zeros()
+
     return sat_timestamps
 
 
+def check_for_zeros():
+    """Check the satellite data for zeros and raise an exception
+
+    This sometimes happen when the satellite data is corrupt
+
+    Note that in the UK, even at night, the values are not zero.
+    """
+    # check satellite for zeros
+    logger.info("Checking satellite data for zeros")
+    ds_sat = xr.open_zarr(sat_path)
+    shape = ds_sat.data.shape
+    n_data_points_per_timestep = shape[1] * shape[2] * shape[3]
+    n_time_steps = shape[0]
+    for i in range(n_time_steps):
+        data = ds_sat.data[i].values
+        if (data == 0).sum() / n_data_points_per_timestep > ERROR_ZERO_PERCENTAGE:
+            time = ds_sat.time[i].values
+            message = (
+                f"Satellite data contains zeros (greater than {ERROR_ZERO_PERCENTAGE}), "
+                f"This is for time step {time}"
+            )
+            raise Exception(message)
+
+
 def scale_satellite_data() -> None:
     """Scale the satellite data to be between 0 and 1"""
 
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 0194e15..00d6820 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -137,12 +137,16 @@ def config_filename():
     return f"{os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))}/test_data/test.yaml"
 
 
-def make_sat_data(test_t0, delay_mins, freq_mins):
+def make_sat_data(test_t0, delay_mins, freq_mins, small=False):
     # Load dataset which only contains coordinates, but no data
     ds = xr.open_zarr(
         f"{os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))}/test_data/non_hrv_shell.zarr"
     )
 
+    if small:
+        # only select 10 by 10
+        ds = ds.isel(x_geostationary=slice(0, 10), y_geostationary=slice(0, 10))
+
     # remove tim dim and expand time dim to be len 36 = 3 hours of 5 minute data
     ds = ds.drop_vars("time")
     n_hours = 3
@@ -158,7 +162,7 @@ def make_sat_data(test_t0, delay_mins, freq_mins):
 
     # Add data to dataset
     ds["data"] = xr.DataArray(
-        np.zeros([len(ds[c]) for c in ds.xindexes]),
+        np.ones([len(ds[c]) for c in ds.xindexes]),
         coords=[ds[c] for c in ds.xindexes],
     )
 
@@ -185,6 +189,10 @@ def sat_5_data_delayed(test_t0):
 def sat_15_data(test_t0):
     return make_sat_data(test_t0, delay_mins=0, freq_mins=15)
 
+@pytest.fixture()
+def sat_15_data_small(test_t0):
+    return make_sat_data(test_t0, delay_mins=0, freq_mins=15,small=True)
+
 
 @pytest.fixture()
 def gsp_yields_and_systems(db_session, test_t0):
diff --git a/tests/data/test_satellite.py b/tests/data/test_satellite.py
index b43c753..8b1d550 100644
--- a/tests/data/test_satellite.py
+++ b/tests/data/test_satellite.py
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 import os
 import tempfile
+
+import pytest
 import zarr
 import numpy as np
 import pandas as pd
@@ -237,3 +239,26 @@ def test_extend_satellite_data_with_nans_over_3_hours(sat_5_data, test_t0):
         ds = xr.open_zarr(filename)
         assert len(time) + 3*12 == len(ds.time)
         assert ds.time.values[-1] == t0
+
+
+def test_zeros_in_sat_data(sat_15_data_small, test_t0):
+    """Download and process only the 15 minute satellite data"""
+
+    # make temporary directory
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdirname:
+
+        # Change to temporary working directory
+        os.chdir(tmpdirname)
+
+        # make half the values zeros
+        sat_15_data_small.data[::2] = 0
+
+        # Make 15-minutely satellite data available
+        save_to_zarr_zip(sat_15_data_small, filename="latest.zarr.zip")
+
+        os.environ["SATELLITE_ZARR_PATH"] = "latest.zarr.zip"
+        download_all_sat_data()
+
+        # check an error is made
+        with pytest.raises(Exception):
+            preprocess_sat_data(test_t0)