diff --git a/src/akkudoktoreos/prediction/elecpriceakkudoktor.py b/src/akkudoktoreos/prediction/elecpriceakkudoktor.py
index 486ed56..d9d7f2b 100644
--- a/src/akkudoktoreos/prediction/elecpriceakkudoktor.py
+++ b/src/akkudoktoreos/prediction/elecpriceakkudoktor.py
@@ -187,6 +187,13 @@ class ElecPriceAkkudoktor(ElecPriceProvider):
             self.config.prediction_hours
             - ((highest_orig_datetime - self.start_datetime).total_seconds() // 3600)
         )
+
+        if needed_prediction_hours <= 0:
+            logger.warning(
+                f"No prediction needed. needed_prediction_hours={needed_prediction_hours}, prediction_hours={self.config.prediction_hours},highest_orig_datetime {highest_orig_datetime}, start_datetime {self.start_datetime}"
+            )  # this might keep data longer than self.start_datetime + self.config.prediction_hours in the records
+            return
+
         if amount_datasets > 800:  # we do the full ets with seasons of 1 week
             prediction = self._predict_ets(
                 history, seasonal_periods=168, prediction_hours=needed_prediction_hours