diff --git a/nifty/field.py b/nifty/field.py
index a46e36cd42f3922ad7f467410a50c4cadcfcca5f..701cdb2c9da250f5dda6290152eac8e1673c97dd 100644
--- a/nifty/field.py
+++ b/nifty/field.py
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ class Field(Loggable, Versionable, object):
                 result_list[0].domain_axes[power_space_index])
 
         if pindex.distribution_strategy is not local_distribution_strategy:
-            self.logger.warn(
+            raise AttributeError(
                 "The distribution_strategy of pindex does not fit the "
                 "slice_local distribution strategy of the synthesized field.")
 
diff --git a/nifty/sugar.py b/nifty/sugar.py
index b1835af9157c78b180ee7191a3d433000e96a548..e74fec60187774b51795c7a53845671f4558fae3 100644
--- a/nifty/sugar.py
+++ b/nifty/sugar.py
@@ -58,8 +58,9 @@ def create_power_operator(domain, power_spectrum, dtype=None,
                                   distribution_strategy=distribution_strategy)
 
     fp = Field(power_domain, val=power_spectrum, dtype=dtype,
-               distribution_strategy=distribution_strategy)
-    f = fp.power_synthesize(mean=1, std=0, real_signal=False)
+               distribution_strategy='not')
+    f = fp.power_synthesize(mean=1, std=0, real_signal=False,
+                            distribution_strategy=distribution_strategy)
     f **= 2
     return DiagonalOperator(domain, diagonal=f, bare=True)