diff --git a/python/cosmotool/cl_cic.py b/python/cosmotool/cl_cic.py
index bf16b0a..b53c96b 100644
--- a/python/cosmotool/cl_cic.py
+++ b/python/cosmotool/cl_cic.py
@@ -227,6 +227,13 @@ def cl_CIC_Density(particles, Ngrid, Lbox, context=None, periodic=True, centered
   if context is None:
     context = cl.create_some_context()
 
-  cic = CIC_CL(context, ndim=3, centered=centered)
+  ktype = particles.dtype
+  if ktype != np.float32 and ktype != np.float64:
+    raise ValueError("particles may only be float32 or float64")
 
-  return cic.run(particles, Ng, L)
+  if len(particles.shape) != 2 or particles.shape[1] != 3:
+    raise ValueError("particles may only be a Nx3 array")
+
+  cic = CIC_CL(context, ndim=3, centered=centered, ktype=ktype)
+
+  return cic.run(particles, Ngrid, Lbox)