diff --git a/python/lammps.py b/python/lammps.py
index f571557488..00e12c3e64 100644
--- a/python/lammps.py
+++ b/python/lammps.py
@@ -1468,7 +1468,6 @@ class lammps(object):
 
   # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-  @property
   def force_timeout(self):
     """ Trigger an immediate timeout, i.e. a "soft stop" of a run.
 
@@ -1650,16 +1649,16 @@ class lammps(object):
     :return: list of id names in given category
     :rtype:  list
     """
-    self._available_ids = {}
 
-    if category not in self._available_ids:
-      self._available_ids[category] = []
-      nstyles = self.lib.lammps_id_count(self.lmp, category.encode())
+    categories = ['compute','dump','fix','group','molecule','region','variable']
+    available_ids = []
+    if category in categories:
+      num = self.lib.lammps_id_count(self.lmp, category.encode())
       sb = create_string_buffer(100)
-      for idx in range(nstyles):
+      for idx in range(num):
         self.lib.lammps_id_name(self.lmp, category.encode(), idx, sb, 100)
-        self._available_ids[category].append(sb.value.decode())
-    return self._available_ids[category]
+        available_ids.append(sb.value.decode())
+    return available_ids
 
   # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/unittest/python/python-capabilities.py b/unittest/python/python-capabilities.py
index e5dd63707b..2b47b8ca90 100644
--- a/unittest/python/python-capabilities.py
+++ b/unittest/python/python-capabilities.py
@@ -60,5 +60,68 @@ class PythonCapabilities(unittest.TestCase):
         pairs = self.lmp.available_styles('pair')
         self.assertIn('lj/cut', pairs)
 
+    def test_has_id(self):
+        self.lmp.command('fix charge all property/atom q ghost yes')
+        self.lmp.command('region box block 0 1 0 1 0 1')
+        self.lmp.command('create_box 1 box')
+        self.lmp.command('group none empty')
+        self.lmp.command('variable test index 1')
+        self.assertTrue(self.lmp.has_id('compute', 'thermo_temp'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.lmp.has_id('compute', 'thermo_press'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.lmp.has_id('compute', 'thermo_pe'))
+        self.assertFalse(self.lmp.has_id('compute', 'xxx'))
+        self.assertFalse(self.lmp.has_id('dump', 'xxx'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.lmp.has_id('fix', 'charge'))
+        self.assertFalse(self.lmp.has_id('fix', 'xxx'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.lmp.has_id('group', 'all'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.lmp.has_id('group', 'none'))
+        self.assertFalse(self.lmp.has_id('group', 'xxx'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.lmp.has_id('region', 'box'))
+        self.assertFalse(self.lmp.has_id('region', 'xxx'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.lmp.has_id('variable', 'test'))
+        self.assertFalse(self.lmp.has_id('variable', 'xxx'))
+
+    def test_available_id(self):
+        self.lmp.command('fix charge all property/atom q ghost yes')
+        self.lmp.command('region box block 0 1 0 1 0 1')
+        self.lmp.command('create_box 1 box')
+        self.lmp.command('group none empty')
+        self.lmp.command('variable test index 1')
+        ids = self.lmp.available_ids('compute')
+        self.assertIn('thermo_pe', ids)
+        self.assertEqual(len(ids),3)
+        ids = self.lmp.available_ids('dump')
+        self.assertEqual(len(ids),0)
+        ids = self.lmp.available_ids('fix')
+        self.assertIn('charge', ids)
+        self.assertEqual(len(ids),1)
+        ids = self.lmp.available_ids('group')
+        self.assertIn('none', ids)
+        self.assertEqual(len(ids),2)
+        ids = self.lmp.available_ids('molecule')
+        self.assertEqual(len(ids),0)
+        ids = self.lmp.available_ids('region')
+        self.assertIn('box', ids)
+        self.assertEqual(len(ids),1)
+        ids = self.lmp.available_ids('variable')
+        self.assertIn('test', ids)
+        self.assertEqual(len(ids),1)
+
+    def test_is_running(self):
+        self.assertFalse(self.lmp.is_running)
+
+    def test_force_timeout(self):
+        self.lmp.command('region box block 0 1 0 1 0 1')
+        self.lmp.command('create_box 1 box')
+        self.lmp.command('mass * 1.0')
+        self.lmp.command('run 10')
+        self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global('ntimestep'),10)
+        self.lmp.force_timeout()
+        self.lmp.command('run 10')
+        self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global('ntimestep'),10)
+        self.lmp.command('timer timeout off')
+        self.lmp.command('run 10')
+        self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global('ntimestep'),20)
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()