diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.cpp
index fdbedf6804..8ea4efe868 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ PairEAM::PairEAM(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pair(lmp)
   unit_convert_flag = utils::get_supported_conversions(utils::ENERGY);
 
   nmax = 0;
-  exceeded_rhomax = 0;
   rho = nullptr;
   fp = nullptr;
   numforce = nullptr;
@@ -146,10 +145,11 @@ void PairEAM::compute(int eflag, int vflag)
   double *coeff;
   int *ilist,*jlist,*numneigh,**firstneigh;
 
-  int beyond_rhomax = 0;
   evdwl = 0.0;
   ev_init(eflag,vflag);
 
+  int beyond_rhomax = 0;
+  
   // grow energy and fp arrays if necessary
   // need to be atom->nmax in length
 
@@ -327,13 +327,13 @@ void PairEAM::compute(int eflag, int vflag)
     }
   }
 
-  if (eflag && (exceeded_rhomax >= 0)) {
+  if (eflag && (!exceeded_rhomax)) {
     MPI_Allreduce(&beyond_rhomax, &exceeded_rhomax, 1, MPI_INT, MPI_MAX, world);
-    if (exceeded_rhomax > 0) {
+    if (exceeded_rhomax) {
       if (comm->me == 0)
-        error->warning(FLERR, "Local rho[i] exceeded rhomax of EAM potential table. "
-                       "Computed embedding term is unreliable.");
-      exceeded_rhomax = -1;
+        error->warning(FLERR,
+                       "A per-atom density exceeded rhomax of EAM potential table - "
+                       "a linear extrapolation to the energy was made");
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.h b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.h
index 7ecc2ce0df..23c417d1a5 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.h
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.h
@@ -64,10 +64,12 @@ class PairEAM : public Pair {
 
  protected:
   int nmax;               // allocated size of per-atom arrays
-  int exceeded_rhomax;    // 0 or 1 when rho[i] exceeded rhomax, -1 when not to check
   double cutforcesq;
   double **scale;
-  bigint embedstep;    // timestep, the embedding term was computed
+  bigint embedstep;       // timestep, the embedding term was computed
+
+  int exceeded_rhomax;    // global flag for whether rho[i] has exceeded rhomax
+                          // on a step energy is computed - 0 = no, 1 = yes
 
   // per-atom arrays