diff --git a/src/KOKKOS/fix_property_atom_kokkos.cpp b/src/KOKKOS/fix_property_atom_kokkos.cpp
index fe2f101e56..9e29b6c35d 100644
--- a/src/KOKKOS/fix_property_atom_kokkos.cpp
+++ b/src/KOKKOS/fix_property_atom_kokkos.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ FixPropertyAtomKokkos::FixPropertyAtomKokkos(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg)
   FixPropertyAtom(lmp, narg, arg)
 {
   atomKK = (AtomKokkos *) atom;
+  grow_arrays(atom->nmax);
 }
 
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/fix_property_atom.cpp b/src/fix_property_atom.cpp
index 002260d8f0..9ef939c58d 100644
--- a/src/fix_property_atom.cpp
+++ b/src/fix_property_atom.cpp
@@ -134,6 +134,8 @@ FixPropertyAtom::FixPropertyAtom(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
   // register with Atom class
 
   nmax_old = 0;
+  if (!lmp->kokkos)
+    grow_arrays(atom->nmax);
   atom->add_callback(0);
   atom->add_callback(1);
   if (border) atom->add_callback(2);
@@ -189,8 +191,6 @@ int FixPropertyAtom::setmask()
 
 void FixPropertyAtom::init()
 {
-  grow_arrays(atom->nmax);
-
   // error if atom style has changed since fix was defined
   // don't allow this b/c user could change to style that defines molecule,q