diff --git a/src/agora/utils/indexing.py b/src/agora/utils/indexing.py
index 95cd5f18158cf165a411615ce154fb7609baeb42..0e50be02012bf7ca0198dbdaf07e28d984c976d8 100644
--- a/src/agora/utils/indexing.py
+++ b/src/agora/utils/indexing.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def validate_association(
         valid_association = va_intermediate.all(axis=1)
         # 2. find matches in indices
         # make True comparisons match for at least one mother or daughter in association
-        ind_intermediate = valid_association.any(axis=1)
+        ind_intermediate = valid_cell_ids.any(axis=1)
         # make True comparisons match for at least one row in association
         valid_indices = ind_intermediate.any(axis=0)
         # OLD