diff --git a/src/KOKKOS/neigh_list_kokkos.h b/src/KOKKOS/neigh_list_kokkos.h
index 393fa478a1..45e768927c 100644
--- a/src/KOKKOS/neigh_list_kokkos.h
+++ b/src/KOKKOS/neigh_list_kokkos.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ public:
   typename ArrayTypes<Device>::t_int_1d d_numneigh; // # of J neighs for each I
 
   NeighListKokkos(class LAMMPS *lmp):
-  NeighList(lmp) {_stride = 1; maxneighs = 16; kokkos = 1;
+  NeighList(lmp) {_stride = 1; maxneighs = 16; kokkos = 1; maxatoms = 0;
                   execution_space = ExecutionSpaceFromDevice<Device>::space;
   };
   ~NeighListKokkos() {numneigh = NULL; ilist = NULL;};
diff --git a/src/KOKKOS/neighbor_kokkos.cpp b/src/KOKKOS/neighbor_kokkos.cpp
index ff154c9919..ae8ae82c13 100644
--- a/src/KOKKOS/neighbor_kokkos.cpp
+++ b/src/KOKKOS/neighbor_kokkos.cpp
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ void NeighborKokkos::init_cutneighsq_kokkos(int n)
 
 void NeighborKokkos::create_kokkos_list(int i)
 {
+  if (style != BIN)
+    error->all(FLERR,"KOKKOS package only supports 'bin' neighbor lists");
+
   if (requests[i]->kokkos_device) {
     lists[i] = new NeighListKokkos<LMPDeviceType>(lmp);
     device_flag = 1;
@@ -227,9 +230,6 @@ void NeighborKokkos::build(int topoflag)
 template<class DeviceType>
 void NeighborKokkos::build_kokkos(int topoflag)
 {
-  if (style != BIN)
-    error->all(FLERR,"KOKKOS package only supports 'bin' neighbor lists");
-
   typedef DeviceType device_type;
 
   int i,m;