diff --git a/src/LATTE/fix_latte.cpp b/src/LATTE/fix_latte.cpp
index d1a96d32c6..645b298e09 100644
--- a/src/LATTE/fix_latte.cpp
+++ b/src/LATTE/fix_latte.cpp
@@ -239,8 +239,7 @@ void FixLatte::pre_reverse(int eflag, int /*vflag*/)
 void FixLatte::post_force(int vflag)
 {
   int eflag = eflag_caller;
-  if (eflag || vflag) ev_setup(eflag,vflag);
-  else evflag = eflag_global = vflag_global = eflag_atom = vflag_atom = 0;
+  ev_init(eflag,vflag);
 
   // compute Coulombic potential = pe[i]/q[i]
   // invoke compute pe/atom
diff --git a/src/MOLECULE/fix_cmap.cpp b/src/MOLECULE/fix_cmap.cpp
index ec2588e61b..3395c7ef14 100644
--- a/src/MOLECULE/fix_cmap.cpp
+++ b/src/MOLECULE/fix_cmap.cpp
@@ -341,8 +341,7 @@ void FixCMAP::post_force(int vflag)
 
   ecmap = 0.0;
   int eflag = eflag_caller;
-  if (eflag || vflag) ev_setup(eflag,vflag);
-  else evflag = 0;
+  ev_init(eflag,vflag);
 
   for (n = 0; n < ncrosstermlist; n++) {
     i1 = crosstermlist[n][0];
diff --git a/src/fix.h b/src/fix.h
index 21dfc955a8..f5b3338aee 100644
--- a/src/fix.h
+++ b/src/fix.h
@@ -224,6 +224,10 @@ class Fix : protected Pointers {
   int dynamic;    // recount atoms for temperature computes
 
   void ev_setup(int, int);
+  void ev_init(int eflag, int vflag) {
+    if (eflag||vflag) ev_setup(eflag, vflag);
+    else evflag = eflag_either = eflag_global = eflag_atom = vflag_either = vflag_global = vflag_atom = 0;
+  }
   void ev_tally(int, int *, double, double, double *);
   void v_setup(int);
   void v_tally(int, int *, double, double *);
diff --git a/src/fix_external.cpp b/src/fix_external.cpp
index 5ac9206e7f..b1ffa65e49 100644
--- a/src/fix_external.cpp
+++ b/src/fix_external.cpp
@@ -141,8 +141,7 @@ void FixExternal::post_force(int vflag)
   bigint ntimestep = update->ntimestep;
 
   int eflag = eflag_caller;
-  if (eflag || vflag) ev_setup(eflag,vflag);
-  else evflag = 0;
+  ev_init(eflag,vflag);
 
   // invoke the callback in driver program
   // it will fill fexternal with forces