diff --git a/src/create_atoms.cpp b/src/create_atoms.cpp
index 1974fe92ca..ea6cb956b0 100644
--- a/src/create_atoms.cpp
+++ b/src/create_atoms.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "atom.h"
 #include "atom_vec.h"
 #include "comm.h"
+#include "modify.h"
 #include "domain.h"
 #include "lattice.h"
 #include "region.h"
@@ -45,6 +46,9 @@ void CreateAtoms::command(int narg, char **arg)
 {
   if (domain->box_exist == 0) 
     error->all("Create_atoms command before simulation box is defined");
+  if (modify->nfix_restart_peratom) 
+    error->all("Cannot create_atoms after "
+	       "reading restart file with per-atom info");
 
   // parse arguments
 
diff --git a/src/modify.h b/src/modify.h
index 56988e2df0..ab1421dde4 100644
--- a/src/modify.h
+++ b/src/modify.h
@@ -28,9 +28,10 @@ class Modify : protected Pointers {
   int n_initial_integrate_respa,n_post_integrate_respa;
   int n_pre_force_respa,n_post_force_respa,n_final_integrate_respa;
   int n_min_pre_exchange,n_min_post_force,n_min_energy;
-  int nfix_restart_peratom;
 
   int restart_pbc_any;       // 1 if any fix sets restart_pbc
+  int nfix_restart_global;   // stored fix global info from restart file
+  int nfix_restart_peratom;   // stored fix peratom info from restart file
 
   class Fix **fix;           // list of fixes
   int *fmask;                // bit mask for when each fix is applied
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ class Modify : protected Pointers {
   double memory_usage();
 
  private:
+
   // lists of fixes to apply at different stages of timestep
 
   int *list_initial_integrate,*list_post_integrate;
@@ -112,13 +114,12 @@ class Modify : protected Pointers {
   int n_timeflag;            // list of computes that store time invocation
   int *list_timeflag;
 
-  int nfix_restart_global;
-  char **id_restart_global;
-  char **style_restart_global;
+  char **id_restart_global;           // stored fix global info
+  char **style_restart_global;        // from read-in restart file
   char **state_restart_global;
 
-  char **id_restart_peratom;
-  char **style_restart_peratom;
+  char **id_restart_peratom;          // stored fix peratom info
+  char **style_restart_peratom;       // from read-in restart file
   int *index_restart_peratom;
 
   int index_permanent;        // fix/compute index returned to library call