diff --git a/src/fix_ave_spatial.cpp b/src/fix_ave_spatial.cpp
index f4d10b32d6..67ce1981f6 100644
--- a/src/fix_ave_spatial.cpp
+++ b/src/fix_ave_spatial.cpp
@@ -237,9 +237,7 @@ FixAveSpatial::FixAveSpatial(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
     nvalid = update->ntimestep;
   else
     nvalid -= (nrepeat-1)*nevery;
-
-  if (nvalid < update->ntimestep)
-    error->all("Fix ave/spatial cannot be started on this timestep");
+  if (nvalid < update->ntimestep) nvalid += nfreq;
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/fix_ave_time.cpp b/src/fix_ave_time.cpp
index 59af5b175e..7b4700b78c 100644
--- a/src/fix_ave_time.cpp
+++ b/src/fix_ave_time.cpp
@@ -196,9 +196,7 @@ FixAveTime::FixAveTime(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
     nvalid = update->ntimestep;
   else
     nvalid -= (nrepeat-1)*nevery;
-
-  if (nvalid < update->ntimestep)
-    error->all("Fix ave/time cannot be started on this timestep");
+  if (nvalid < update->ntimestep) nvalid += nfreq;
 
   // must set timestep for all computes that store invocation times
   // since don't know a priori which are invoked by this fix