diff --git a/packages/perspective-viewer/src/js/view.js b/packages/perspective-viewer/src/js/view.js
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/packages/perspective-viewer/src/js/view.js
+++ b/packages/perspective-viewer/src/js/view.js
@@ -748,6 +748,14 @@ registerElement(template, {
         }

     },

 

+    'index': {

+        set: function () {

+            if (this._table) {

+                console.error(`Setting 'index' attribute after initialization has no effect`);

+            }

+        }

+    },

+

     'row-pivots': {

         set: function () {

             let pivots = JSON.parse(this.getAttribute('row-pivots'));
Added warning when index is set after data load.