diff --git a/src/KOKKOS/kokkos.cpp b/src/KOKKOS/kokkos.cpp
index 4e9dae75c3..233d86cc8a 100644
--- a/src/KOKKOS/kokkos.cpp
+++ b/src/KOKKOS/kokkos.cpp
@@ -124,19 +124,31 @@ KokkosLMP::~KokkosLMP()
 
 void KokkosLMP::accelerator(int narg, char **arg)
 {
+  // defaults
+
+  neighflag = FULL;
+  int newtonflag = 0;
+  exchange_comm_classic = forward_comm_classic = 0;
+  exchange_comm_on_host = forward_comm_on_host = 1;
+
   int iarg = 0;
   while (iarg < narg) {
     if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"neigh") == 0) {
-      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package command");
+      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
       if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"full") == 0) neighflag = FULL;
       else if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"half/thread") == 0) neighflag = HALFTHREAD;
       else if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"half") == 0) neighflag = HALF;
       else if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"n2") == 0) neighflag = N2;
       else if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"full/cluster") == 0) neighflag = FULLCLUSTER;
-      else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package command");
+      else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
       iarg += 2;
+    } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"newton") == 0) {
+      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
+      if (strcmp(arg[iarg]+1,"off") == 0) newtonflag = 0;
+      else if (strcmp(arg[iarg]+1,"on") == 0) newtonflag = 1;
+      else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
     } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"comm") == 0) {
-      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package command");
+      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
       if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"no") == 0) {
         exchange_comm_classic = forward_comm_classic = 1;
       } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"host") == 0) {
@@ -145,10 +157,10 @@ void KokkosLMP::accelerator(int narg, char **arg)
       } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"device") == 0) {
         exchange_comm_classic = forward_comm_classic = 0;
         exchange_comm_on_host = forward_comm_on_host = 0;
-      } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package command");
+      } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
       iarg += 2;
     } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"comm/exchange") == 0) {
-      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package command");
+      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
       if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"no") == 0) exchange_comm_classic = 1;
       else if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"host") == 0) {
         exchange_comm_classic = 0;
@@ -156,10 +168,10 @@ void KokkosLMP::accelerator(int narg, char **arg)
       } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"device") == 0) {
         exchange_comm_classic = 0;
         exchange_comm_on_host = 0;
-      } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package command");
+      } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
       iarg += 2;
     } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"comm/forward") == 0) {
-      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package command");
+      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
       if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"no") == 0) forward_comm_classic = 1;
       else if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"host") == 0) {
         forward_comm_classic = 0;
@@ -167,10 +179,14 @@ void KokkosLMP::accelerator(int narg, char **arg)
       } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg+1],"device") == 0) {
         forward_comm_classic = 0;
         forward_comm_on_host = 0;
-      } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package command");
+      } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
       iarg += 2;
-    } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package command");
+    } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package kokkos command");
   }
+
+  // set newton flags
+
+  force->newton = force->newton_pair = force->newton_bond = newtonflag;
 }
 
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/USER-CUDA/cuda.cpp b/src/USER-CUDA/cuda.cpp
index 223d55bf53..d83c460205 100644
--- a/src/USER-CUDA/cuda.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-CUDA/cuda.cpp
@@ -226,10 +226,16 @@ void Cuda::accelerator(int narg, char **arg)
 
   delete [] devicelist;
   devicelist = NULL;
+  int newtonflag = 0;
 
   int iarg = 1;
   while (iarg < narg) {
-    if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"gpuID") == 0) {
+    if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"newton") == 0) {
+      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package cuda command");
+      if (strcmp(arg[iarg]+1,"off") == 0) newtonflag = 0;
+      else if (strcmp(arg[iarg]+1,"on") == 0) newtonflag = 1;
+      else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package cuda command");
+    } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"gpuID") == 0) {
       if (iarg+pppn+1 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package cuda command");
       devicelist = new int[pppn];
       for (int k = 0; k < pppn; k++)
@@ -272,6 +278,10 @@ void Cuda::accelerator(int narg, char **arg)
       iarg += 2;
     } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package cuda command");
   }
+
+  // set newton flags
+
+  force->newton = force->newton_pair = force->newton_bond = newtonflag;
 }
 
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------