diff --git a/engine/util/sample_data.hpp b/engine/util/sample_data.hpp
index 86b9b786220..ac85aae6e6d 100644
--- a/engine/util/sample_data.hpp
+++ b/engine/util/sample_data.hpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 #include "util/generic.hpp"
 #include "util/string_view.hpp"
+#include "util/rng.hpp"
 
 /* Collection of statistical formulas for sequences
  * Note: Returns 0 for empty sequences
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ range::value_type_t<Range> calculate_variance( const Range& r,
   }
   auto length = std::size( r );
   if ( length > 1 )
-    tmp /= length;
+    tmp /= length - 1;
   return tmp;
 }
 
@@ -188,6 +189,27 @@ inline std::vector<double> normalize_histogram( const std::vector<size_t>& in )
   return normalize_histogram( in, count );
 }
 
+template <typename Range>
+bool is_normal( const Range& r, range::value_type_t<Range> mean,
+                range::value_type_t<Range> stddev )
+{
+  range::value_type_t<Range> tmp {};
+  range::value_type_t<Range> y_cdf {};
+
+  size_t length = std::size( r );
+  if ( length < 2 )
+    return false;
+
+  for ( size_t i = 0; i < length; ++i )
+  {
+    y_cdf = rng::stdnormal_cdf( ( r[ i ] - mean ) / stddev );
+    tmp += ( 2 * i - 1 ) * std::log( y_cdf );
+    tmp += ( 2 * ( length - i ) + 1 ) * std::log( 1 - y_cdf );
+  }
+
+  return - length - tmp / length > 0.752;
+}
+
 }  // end sd namespace
 
 /* Simplest Samplest Data container. Only tracks sum and count
@@ -387,12 +409,17 @@ class extended_sample_data_t : public simple_sample_data_with_min_max_t
   }
 
   // Analyze collected data
+
+  // void analyze( sim_t& sim ) <- allows sample data objects to emit warnings
   void analyze()
   {
     sort();
     analyze_basics();
     analyze_variance();
     create_histogram();
+
+    // cannot warn, just asserting for now.
+    assert( is_normal() );
   }
 
   /*
@@ -492,6 +519,21 @@ class extended_sample_data_t : public simple_sample_data_with_min_max_t
                                                  base_t::min(), base_t::max() );
   }
 
+  /*
+   * Test Normality
+   * Requires: Analyzed Mean, stddev, sorted
+   */
+  bool is_normal()
+  {
+    if ( simple )
+      return true;
+
+    if ( data().empty() )
+      return true;
+
+    return count() > 10 ? statistics::is_normal( sorted_data(), _mean, std_dev ) : true;
+  }
+
   void clear()
   {
     base_t::reset();