diff --git a/doc/src/package.rst b/doc/src/package.rst
index b9bf56e46b..339a1c7ca7 100644
--- a/doc/src/package.rst
+++ b/doc/src/package.rst
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ available (currently only possible with OpenMPI v2.0.0 or later), then
 the *cuda/aware* keyword is automatically set to *off* by default. When
 the *cuda/aware* keyword is set to *off* while any of the *comm*
 keywords are set to *device*\ , the value for these *comm* keywords will
-be automatically changed to *host*\ . This setting has no effect if not
+be automatically changed to *no*\ . This setting has no effect if not
 running on GPUs or if using only one MPI rank. CUDA-aware MPI is available
 for OpenMPI 1.8 (or later versions), Mvapich2 1.9 (or later) when the
 "MV2_USE_CUDA" environment variable is set to "1", CrayMPI, and IBM
@@ -558,7 +558,8 @@ The *pair/only* keyword can change how the KOKKOS suffix "kk" is applied
 when using an accelerator device.  By default device acceleration is
 always used for all available styles.  With *pair/only* set to *on* the
 suffix setting will choose device acceleration only for pair styles and
-run all other force computations concurrently on the host GPU.  This can
+run all other force computations concurrently on the host CPU.
+The *comm* flags will also automatically be changed to *no*\ . This can
 result in better performance for certain configurations and system sizes.
 
 ----------
diff --git a/src/KOKKOS/kokkos.cpp b/src/KOKKOS/kokkos.cpp
index 00a17456b4..ff1b736bf0 100644
--- a/src/KOKKOS/kokkos.cpp
+++ b/src/KOKKOS/kokkos.cpp
@@ -425,36 +425,36 @@ void KokkosLMP::accelerator(int narg, char **arg)
   int nmpi = 0;
   MPI_Comm_size(world,&nmpi);
 
-  // if "cuda/aware off" or "pair/only on", and "comm device", change to "comm host"
+  // if "cuda/aware off" or "pair/only on", and "comm device", change to "comm no"
 
-  if (!gpu_aware_flag && nmpi > 1 || pair_only_flag) {
+  if ((!gpu_aware_flag && nmpi > 1) || pair_only_flag) {
     if (exchange_comm_classic == 0 && exchange_comm_on_host == 0) {
-      exchange_comm_on_host = 1;
+      exchange_comm_classic = 1;
       exchange_comm_changed = 1;
     }
     if (forward_comm_classic == 0 && forward_comm_on_host == 0) {
-      forward_comm_on_host = 1;
+      forward_comm_classic = 1;
       forward_comm_changed = 1;
     }
     if (reverse_comm_classic == 0 && reverse_comm_on_host == 0) {
-      reverse_comm_on_host = 1;
+      reverse_comm_classic = 1;
       reverse_comm_changed = 1;
     }
   }
 
-  // if "cuda/aware on" or "pair/only off" and comm flags were changed previously, change them back
+  // if "cuda/aware on" and "pair/only off", and comm flags were changed previously, change them back
 
   if (gpu_aware_flag && !pair_only_flag) {
     if (exchange_comm_changed) {
-      exchange_comm_on_host = 0;
+      exchange_comm_classic = 0;
       exchange_comm_changed = 0;
     }
     if (forward_comm_changed) {
-      forward_comm_on_host = 0;
+      forward_comm_classic = 0;
       forward_comm_changed = 0;
     }
     if (reverse_comm_changed) {
-      reverse_comm_on_host = 0;
+      reverse_comm_classic = 0;
       reverse_comm_changed = 0;
     }
   }