diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/cacheinfo.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/cacheinfo.c
index a116d5bb6b12..65ab9fcebd31 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/cacheinfo.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/cacheinfo.c
@@ -420,6 +420,15 @@ static void link_cache_lists(struct cache *smaller, struct cache *bigger)
 	}
 
 	smaller->next_local = bigger;
+
+	/*
+	 * The cache->next_local list sorts by level ascending:
+	 * L1d -> L1i -> L2 -> L3 ...
+	 */
+	WARN_ONCE((smaller->level == 1 && bigger->level > 2) ||
+		  (smaller->level > 1 && bigger->level != smaller->level + 1),
+		  "linking L%i cache %pOFP to L%i cache %pOFP; skipped a level?\n",
+		  smaller->level, smaller->ofnode, bigger->level, bigger->ofnode);
 }
 
 static void do_subsidiary_caches_debugcheck(struct cache *cache)