diff --git a/doc/src/group.txt b/doc/src/group.txt
index 8371f38304..56a5e50936 100644
--- a/doc/src/group.txt
+++ b/doc/src/group.txt
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ group ID style args :pre
 ID = user-defined name of the group :ulb,l
 style = {delete} or {region} or {type} or {id} or {molecule} or {variable} or \
         {include} or {subtract} or {union} or {intersect} or \
-        {dynamic} or {static} or {load_factor} :l
+        {dynamic} or {static} :l
   {delete} = no args
   {clear} = no args
   {region} args = region-ID
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ style = {delete} or {region} or {type} or {id} or {molecule} or {variable} or \
       {region} value = region-ID
       {var} value = name of variable
       {every} value = N = update group every this many timesteps
-  {static} = no args
-  {load_factor} value = weighting to apply to particles in the group for load balancing :pre
+  {static} = no args :pre
 :ule
 
 [Examples:]
@@ -61,8 +60,7 @@ group boundary subtract all a2 a3
 group boundary union lower upper
 group boundary intersect upper flow
 group boundary delete
-group mine dynamic all region myRegion every 100
-group mine load_factor 2.0 :pre
+group mine dynamic all region myRegion every 100 :pre
 
 
 [Description:]
@@ -267,12 +265,6 @@ The {static} style removes the setting for a dynamic group, converting
 it to a static group (the default).  The atoms in the static group are
 those currently in the dynamic group.
 
-The {load_factor} style applies a weight to all atoms in the group. When
-load balancing is applied (by "balance"_balance.html or 
-"fix balance"_fix_balance.html) the count of atoms per processor is
-weighted by the produce of the load factors of the groups which each
-atom is a member of.
-
 :line
 
 [Restrictions:]
@@ -284,8 +276,7 @@ The parent group of a dynamic group cannot itself be a dynamic group.
 
 [Related commands:]
 
-"balance"_balance.html, "dump"_dump.html, "fix"_fix.html,
-"fix balance"_fix_balance.html, "region"_region.html,
+"dump"_dump.html, "fix"_fix.html, "region"_region.html,
 "velocity"_velocity.html
 
 [Default:]
diff --git a/src/group.cpp b/src/group.cpp
index b995c2a52c..5b572b2070 100644
--- a/src/group.cpp
+++ b/src/group.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
+#define MAX_GROUP 32
+
 enum{TYPE,MOLECULE,ID};
 enum{LT,LE,GT,GE,EQ,NEQ,BETWEEN};
 
@@ -57,13 +59,11 @@ Group::Group(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
   bitmask = new int[MAX_GROUP];
   inversemask = new int[MAX_GROUP];
   dynamic = new int[MAX_GROUP];
-  load_factor = new double[MAX_GROUP];
 
   for (int i = 0; i < MAX_GROUP; i++) names[i] = NULL;
   for (int i = 0; i < MAX_GROUP; i++) bitmask[i] = 1 << i;
   for (int i = 0; i < MAX_GROUP; i++) inversemask[i] = bitmask[i] ^ ~0;
   for (int i = 0; i < MAX_GROUP; i++) dynamic[i] = 0;
-  for (int i = 0; i < MAX_GROUP; i++) load_factor[i] = 1.0;
 
   // create "all" group
 
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ Group::~Group()
   delete [] bitmask;
   delete [] inversemask;
   delete [] dynamic;
-  delete [] load_factor;
 }
 
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -136,7 +135,6 @@ void Group::assign(int narg, char **arg)
     delete [] names[igroup];
     names[igroup] = NULL;
     dynamic[igroup] = 0;
-    load_factor[igroup] = 1.0;
     ngroup--;
 
     return;
@@ -520,17 +518,9 @@ void Group::assign(int narg, char **arg)
 
     dynamic[igroup] = 0;
 
-  } else if (strcmp(arg[1],"load_factor") == 0) {
-    
-    if (narg != 3) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal group command");
-   
-    load_factor[igroup] = force->numeric(FLERR, arg[2]);
-    
-    // not a valid group style
-    
-  }
-  
-  else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal group command");
+  // not a valid group style
+
+  } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal group command");
 
   // print stats for changed group
 
diff --git a/src/group.h b/src/group.h
index 2c6d538e7a..47114b1740 100644
--- a/src/group.h
+++ b/src/group.h
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@
 #include "pointers.h"
 #include <map>
 
-#define MAX_GROUP 32
-
 namespace LAMMPS_NS {
 
 class Group : protected Pointers {
@@ -29,7 +27,6 @@ class Group : protected Pointers {
   int *bitmask;                // one-bit mask for each group
   int *inversemask;            // inverse mask for each group
   int *dynamic;                // 1 if dynamic, 0 if not
-  double *load_factor;      // weight factor for atoms in group, for load balancing
 
   Group(class LAMMPS *);
   ~Group();