diff --git a/src/atom.cpp b/src/atom.cpp
index 9368f692f3..785012d57a 100644
--- a/src/atom.cpp
+++ b/src/atom.cpp
@@ -273,13 +273,10 @@ void Atom::create_avec(const char *style, int narg, char **arg, char *suffix)
   vfrac_flag = spin_flag = eradius_flag = ervel_flag = erforce_flag = 0;
 
   // create instance of AtomVec
-  // use grow to initialize atom-based arrays to length 1
-  // so that x[0][0] can be referenced even if proc has no atoms
 
   int sflag;
   avec = new_avec(style,suffix,sflag);
   avec->settings(narg,arg);
-  avec->grow(1);
 
   if (sflag) {
     char estyle[256];
diff --git a/src/input.cpp b/src/input.cpp
index 51772ffec2..2631113ad1 100644
--- a/src/input.cpp
+++ b/src/input.cpp
@@ -1003,6 +1003,11 @@ void Input::atom_style()
   if (domain->box_exist)
     error->all(FLERR,"Atom_style command after simulation box is defined");
   atom->create_avec(arg[0],narg-1,&arg[1],lmp->suffix);
+
+  // use grow to initialize atom-based arrays to length 1
+  // so that x[0][0] can be referenced even if proc has no atoms
+
+  atom->avec->grow(1);
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/lammps.cpp b/src/lammps.cpp
index 2ca71079ed..acaf2041f5 100644
--- a/src/lammps.cpp
+++ b/src/lammps.cpp
@@ -464,6 +464,12 @@ void LAMMPS::create()
   else domain = new Domain(this);
 #endif
 
+  // use grow to initialize atom-based arrays to length 1
+  // so that x[0][0] can be referenced even if proc has no atoms
+  // must be done after nthreads is defined by Comm class
+
+  atom->avec->grow(1);
+
   group = new Group(this);
   force = new Force(this);    // must be after group, to create temperature