diff --git a/src/nbin.cpp b/src/nbin.cpp
index 4838d1d63d..1092311f6a 100644
--- a/src/nbin.cpp
+++ b/src/nbin.cpp
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@ using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 NBin::NBin(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
 {
   last_bin = -1;
-  maxbin = maxatom = 0;
+  mbins = maxbin = maxatom = 0;
   binhead = NULL;
   bins = NULL;
   atom2bin = NULL;
 
+  neighbor->last_setup_bins = -1;
+
   // geometry settings
 
   dimension = domain->dimension;
diff --git a/src/neighbor.cpp b/src/neighbor.cpp
index 326166d011..70333461ba 100644
--- a/src/neighbor.cpp
+++ b/src/neighbor.cpp
@@ -2078,6 +2078,7 @@ void Neighbor::build(int topoflag)
   //   leading to errors or even a crash
 
   if (style != Neighbor::NSQ) {
+    if (last_setup_bins < 0) setup_bins();
     for (int i = 0; i < nbin; i++) {
       neigh_bin[i]->bin_atoms_setup(nall);
       neigh_bin[i]->bin_atoms();