diff --git a/src/region_sphere.cpp b/src/region_sphere.cpp
index f449978938..ea6e39d894 100644
--- a/src/region_sphere.cpp
+++ b/src/region_sphere.cpp
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ RegSphere::RegSphere(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
 
 RegSphere::~RegSphere()
 {
+  if (copymode) return;
   delete[] xstr;
   delete[] ystr;
   delete[] zstr;