diff --git a/src/atom.cpp b/src/atom.cpp
index c8d88bd855..75203efdbd 100644
--- a/src/atom.cpp
+++ b/src/atom.cpp
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ Atom::~Atom()
 
   // delete mapping data structures
 
+  memory->destroy(sametag);
   map_delete();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/atom_map.cpp b/src/atom_map.cpp
index aede10c535..33caa87062 100644
--- a/src/atom_map.cpp
+++ b/src/atom_map.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ void Atom::map_init()
   for (int i = 0; i < nlocal; i++) max = MAX(max,tag[i]);
   MPI_Allreduce(&max,&map_tag_max,1,MPI_INT,MPI_MAX,world);
 
+  memory->destroy(sametag);
   smax = nlocal + nghost + EXTRA;
   memory->create(sametag,smax,"atom:sametag");
 
@@ -243,8 +244,6 @@ void Atom::map_one(int global, int local)
 
 void Atom::map_delete()
 {
-  memory->destroy(sametag);
-
   if (map_style == 1) {
     if (map_tag_max) memory->destroy(map_array);
   } else {