diff --git a/wrangler-transform/src/main/java/io/cdap/wrangler/Wrangler.java b/wrangler-transform/src/main/java/io/cdap/wrangler/Wrangler.java
index 340750d62..3c811ba1c 100644
--- a/wrangler-transform/src/main/java/io/cdap/wrangler/Wrangler.java
+++ b/wrangler-transform/src/main/java/io/cdap/wrangler/Wrangler.java
@@ -381,6 +381,12 @@ public void destroy() {
    */
   @Override
   public void transform(StructuredRecord input, Emitter<StructuredRecord> emitter) throws Exception {
+    if (PRECONDITION_LANGUAGE_SQL.equals(config.getPreconditionLanguage())) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException("SQL filters are not supported with "
+          + "multiple input stages. Please ensure the Wrangler stages with SQL "
+          + "filters have only one input.");
+    }
+
     long start = 0;
     List<StructuredRecord> records;