diff --git a/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c b/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c
index 5d0eebfa3..e4ab1b86f 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c
+++ b/lib/metadata/lv_manip.c
@@ -9344,24 +9344,10 @@ static struct logical_volume *_lv_create_an_lv(struct volume_group *vg,
 				return NULL;
 			}
 
-			lp->virtual_extents = origin_lv->le_count;
+			if (!validate_thin_external_origin(origin_lv, pool_lv))
+				return_NULL;
 
-			/*
-			 * Check if using 'external origin' or the 'normal' snapshot
-			 * within the same thin pool
-			 */
-			if (first_seg(origin_lv)->pool_lv != pool_lv) {
-				if (!thin_pool_supports_external_origin(first_seg(pool_lv), origin_lv))
-					return_NULL;
-				if (origin_lv->status & LVM_WRITE) {
-					log_error("Cannot use writable LV as the external origin.");
-					return NULL; /* FIXME conversion for inactive */
-				}
-				if (lv_is_active(origin_lv) && !lv_is_external_origin(origin_lv)) {
-					log_error("Cannot use active LV for the external origin.");
-					return NULL; /* We can't be sure device is read-only */
-				}
-			}
+			lp->virtual_extents = origin_lv->le_count;
 		}
 	} else if (lp->snapshot) {
 		if (!lp->virtual_extents) {
diff --git a/lib/metadata/metadata-exported.h b/lib/metadata/metadata-exported.h
index c9825799b..9c372a7f0 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/metadata-exported.h
+++ b/lib/metadata/metadata-exported.h
@@ -896,6 +896,8 @@ int recalculate_pool_chunk_size_with_dev_hints(struct logical_volume *pool_lv,
 int validate_cache_chunk_size(struct cmd_context *cmd, uint32_t chunk_size);
 int validate_thin_pool_chunk_size(struct cmd_context *cmd, uint32_t chunk_size);
 int validate_pool_chunk_size(struct cmd_context *cmd, const struct segment_type *segtype, uint32_t chunk_size);
+int validate_thin_external_origin(const struct logical_volume *lv,
+				  const struct logical_volume *pool_lv);
 int get_default_allocation_thin_pool_chunk_size(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct profile *profile,
 						uint32_t *chunk_size, int *chunk_size_calc_method);
 int update_thin_pool_params(struct cmd_context *cmd,
diff --git a/lib/metadata/thin_manip.c b/lib/metadata/thin_manip.c
index 234241efe..fb6e99821 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/thin_manip.c
+++ b/lib/metadata/thin_manip.c
@@ -1100,3 +1100,42 @@ uint64_t estimate_thin_pool_metadata_size(uint32_t data_extents, uint32_t extent
 {
 	return _estimate_metadata_size(data_extents, extent_size, chunk_size);
 }
+
+/* Validates whtether the LV can be used as external origin */
+int validate_thin_external_origin(const struct logical_volume *lv,
+				  const struct logical_volume *pool_lv)
+{
+	const char *type = NULL;
+
+	/*
+	 * Check if using 'external origin' or the 'normal' snapshot
+	 * within the same thin pool
+	 */
+	if (first_seg(lv)->pool_lv == pool_lv)
+		return 1;
+
+	if (!lv_is_visible(lv))
+		type = "internal";
+	else if (lv_is_cow(lv))
+		type = "snapshot";
+	else if (lv_is_pool(lv) || lv_is_vdo_pool(lv))
+		type = "pool";
+	else if (lv->status & LVM_WRITE)
+		type = "writable"; /* TODO: maybe support conversion for inactive */
+
+	if (type) {
+		log_error("Cannot use %s volume %s as external origin.",
+			  type, display_lvname(lv));
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (!thin_pool_supports_external_origin(first_seg(pool_lv), lv))
+		return_0;
+
+	if (!lv_is_external_origin(lv) && lv_is_active(lv)) {
+		log_error("Cannot use active LV for the external origin.");
+		return 0; /* We can't be sure device is read-only */
+	}
+
+	return 1;
+}
diff --git a/tools/lvcreate.c b/tools/lvcreate.c
index c40c37b9f..8b01999ea 100644
--- a/tools/lvcreate.c
+++ b/tools/lvcreate.c
@@ -1427,6 +1427,9 @@ static int _determine_snapshot_type(struct volume_group *vg,
 				  display_lvname(pool_lv));
 			return 0;
 		}
+
+		if (!validate_thin_external_origin(origin_lv, pool_lv))
+			return_0;
 	} else {
 		if (!lv_is_thin_volume(origin_lv)) {
 			if (!seg_is_thin(lp))