diff --git a/src/USER-REAXC/fix_qeq_reax.cpp b/src/USER-REAXC/fix_qeq_reax.cpp
index d62893b81e..237ddce18c 100644
--- a/src/USER-REAXC/fix_qeq_reax.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-REAXC/fix_qeq_reax.cpp
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ FixQEqReax::FixQEqReax(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
   H.jlist = NULL;
   H.val = NULL;
 
+  comm_forward = comm_reverse = 1;
+
   // perform initial allocation of atom-based arrays
   // register with Atom class
 
diff --git a/src/USER-REAXC/fix_reaxc_species.cpp b/src/USER-REAXC/fix_reaxc_species.cpp
index 5d3fe51e82..2cf0c7ae91 100644
--- a/src/USER-REAXC/fix_reaxc_species.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-REAXC/fix_reaxc_species.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ FixReaxCSpecies::FixReaxCSpecies(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
   nrepeat = atoi(arg[4]);
   global_freq = nfreq = atoi(arg[5]);
 
-  comm_forward = 1;
+  comm_forward = 5;
   
   if (nevery <= 0 || nrepeat <= 0 || nfreq <= 0)
     error->all(FLERR,"Illegal fix reax/c/species command");