diff --git a/src/force.cpp b/src/force.cpp
index aa70874adf..f51b0c1818 100644
--- a/src/force.cpp
+++ b/src/force.cpp
@@ -198,10 +198,11 @@ Pair *Force::pair_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
    return ptr to Pair class if matches word or matches hybrid sub-style
    if exact, then style name must be exact match to word
    if not exact, style name must contain word
-   return NULL if no match or multiple sub-styles match
+   if nsub > 0, match Nth hybrid sub-style
+   return NULL if no match or if nsub=0 and multiple sub-styles match
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-Pair *Force::pair_match(const char *word, int exact)
+Pair *Force::pair_match(const char *word, int exact, int nsub)
 {
   int iwhich,count;
 
@@ -216,6 +217,7 @@ Pair *Force::pair_match(const char *word, int exact)
           (!exact && strstr(hybrid->keywords[i],word))) {
         iwhich = i;
         count++;
+        if (nsub == count) return hybrid->styles[iwhich];
       }
     if (count == 1) return hybrid->styles[iwhich];
 
@@ -227,6 +229,7 @@ Pair *Force::pair_match(const char *word, int exact)
           (!exact && strstr(hybrid->keywords[i],word))) {
         iwhich = i;
         count++;
+        if (nsub == count) return hybrid->styles[iwhich];
       }
     if (count == 1) return hybrid->styles[iwhich];
   }
diff --git a/src/force.h b/src/force.h
index a3fca51020..54b6612689 100644
--- a/src/force.h
+++ b/src/force.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class Force : protected Pointers {
 
   void create_pair(const char *, int);
   class Pair *new_pair(const char *, int, int &);
-  class Pair *pair_match(const char *, int);
+  class Pair *pair_match(const char *, int, int nsub=0);
 
   void create_bond(const char *, int);
   class Bond *new_bond(const char *, int, int &);