diff --git a/src/framework/ui/uianchorlayout.cpp b/src/framework/ui/uianchorlayout.cpp
index 33979ac3..3f05dc91 100644
--- a/src/framework/ui/uianchorlayout.cpp
+++ b/src/framework/ui/uianchorlayout.cpp
@@ -55,19 +55,27 @@ int Anchor::getAnchorLinePoint() const
     }
     return -9999;
 }
-
 bool UIAnchorLayout::addAnchor(const UIElementPtr& anchoredElement, UI::AnchorPoint anchoredEdge, const AnchorLine& anchorLine)
 {
     Anchor anchor(anchoredElement, anchoredEdge, anchorLine);
     UIElementPtr anchorLineElement = anchor.getAnchorLineElement();
 
+    if(!anchorLineElement) {
+        logError("ERROR: could not find the element to anchor on, wrong id?");
+        return false;
+    }
+
     // we can never anchor with itself
     if(anchoredElement == anchorLineElement) {
         logError("ERROR: anchoring with itself is not possible");
         return false;
     }
 
-    // TODO: check if itself is already anchored on the anchor element
+    // we must never anchor to an anchor child
+    if(hasElementInAnchorTree(anchorLineElement, anchoredElement)) {
+        logError("ERROR: anchors is miss configurated, you must never make anchor chains in loops");
+        return false;
+    }
 
     // setup the anchor
     m_anchors.push_back(anchor);
@@ -144,6 +152,17 @@ void UIAnchorLayout::recalculateChildrenLayout(const UIElementPtr& parent)
     }
 }
 
+bool UIAnchorLayout::hasElementInAnchorTree(const UIElementPtr& element, const UIElementPtr& treeAnchor)
+{
+    foreach(const Anchor& anchor, m_anchors) {
+        if(anchor.getAnchorLineElement() == treeAnchor) {
+            if(anchor.getAnchoredElement() == element || hasElementInAnchorTree(element, anchor.getAnchoredElement()))
+                return true;
+        }
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 UI::AnchorPoint UIAnchorLayout::parseAnchorPoint(const std::string& anchorPointStr)
 {
     if(anchorPointStr == "left")
diff --git a/src/framework/ui/uianchorlayout.h b/src/framework/ui/uianchorlayout.h
index f99d4e98..b4f9cb42 100644
--- a/src/framework/ui/uianchorlayout.h
+++ b/src/framework/ui/uianchorlayout.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ public:
     void recalculateElementLayout(const UIElementPtr& element);
     void recalculateChildrenLayout(const UIElementPtr& parent);
 
+    bool hasElementInAnchorTree(const UIElementPtr& element, const UIElementPtr& treeAnchor);
     static UI::AnchorPoint parseAnchorPoint(const std::string& anchorPointStr);
 
 private: