diff --git a/src/REAXFF/fix_qeqr_reaxff.cpp b/src/REAXFF/fix_qeqr_reaxff.cpp
index bc84c24b29..29c329714d 100644
--- a/src/REAXFF/fix_qeqr_reaxff.cpp
+++ b/src/REAXFF/fix_qeqr_reaxff.cpp
@@ -56,66 +56,6 @@ FixQEqrReaxFF::FixQEqrReaxFF(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
 {
 }
 
-void FixQEqrReaxFF::init()
-{
-  if (!atom->q_flag)
-    error->all(FLERR,"Fix {} requires atom attribute q", style);
-
-  if (group->count(igroup) == 0)
-    error->all(FLERR,"Fix {} group has no atoms", style);
-
-  // compute net charge and print warning if too large
-  double qsum_local = 0.0, qsum = 0.0;
-  for (int i = 0; i < atom->nlocal; i++) {
-    if (atom->mask[i] & groupbit)
-      qsum_local += atom->q[i];
-  }
-  MPI_Allreduce(&qsum_local,&qsum,1,MPI_DOUBLE,MPI_SUM,world);
-
-  if ((comm->me == 0) && (fabs(qsum) > QSUMSMALL))
-    error->warning(FLERR,"Fix {} group is not charge neutral, net charge = {:.8}" + utils::errorurl(29), style, qsum);
-
-  // get pointer to fix efield if present. there may be at most one instance of fix efield in use.
-  efield = nullptr;
-  auto fixes = modify->get_fix_by_style("^efield");
-  if (fixes.size() == 1) efield = dynamic_cast<FixEfield *>(fixes.front());
-  else if (fixes.size() > 1)
-    error->all(FLERR, "There may be only one fix efield instance used with fix {}", style);
-
-  // ensure that fix efield is properly initialized before accessing its data and check some settings
-  if (efield) {
-    efield->init();
-    if (strcmp(update->unit_style,"real") != 0)
-      error->all(FLERR,"Must use unit_style real with fix {} and external fields", style);
-
-    if (efield->groupbit != 1){ // if efield is not applied to all atoms
-      error->all(FLERR,"Must use group id all for fix efield when using fix {}", style);
-    }
-
-    if (efield->region){ // if efield is not applied to all atoms
-      error->all(FLERR,"Keyword region not supported for fix efield when using fix {}", style);
-    }
-
-    if (efield->varflag == FixEfield::ATOM && efield->pstyle != FixEfield::ATOM)
-      error->all(FLERR,"Atom-style external electric field requires atom-style "
-                       "potential variable when used with fix {}", style);
-  } else
-    if (comm->me == 0)
-      error->warning(FLERR, "Use fix qeq/reaxff instead of fix {} when not using fix efield",
-		     style);
-
-  // we need a half neighbor list w/ Newton off
-  // built whenever re-neighboring occurs
-
-  neighbor->add_request(this, NeighConst::REQ_NEWTON_OFF);
-
-  init_shielding();
-  init_taper();
-
-  if (utils::strmatch(update->integrate_style,"^respa"))
-    nlevels_respa = (dynamic_cast<Respa *>(update->integrate))->nlevels;
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 void FixQEqrReaxFF::calc_chi_eff()
diff --git a/src/REAXFF/fix_qeqr_reaxff.h b/src/REAXFF/fix_qeqr_reaxff.h
index e885a34962..a48a6ee632 100644
--- a/src/REAXFF/fix_qeqr_reaxff.h
+++ b/src/REAXFF/fix_qeqr_reaxff.h
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ namespace LAMMPS_NS {
 class FixQEqrReaxFF : public FixQtpieReaxFF {
  public:
   FixQEqrReaxFF(class LAMMPS *, int, char **);
-  void init() override;
 
  protected:
   void calc_chi_eff() override;
diff --git a/src/REAXFF/fix_qtpie_reaxff.cpp b/src/REAXFF/fix_qtpie_reaxff.cpp
index 86331b2335..c226bb3462 100644
--- a/src/REAXFF/fix_qtpie_reaxff.cpp
+++ b/src/REAXFF/fix_qtpie_reaxff.cpp
@@ -487,8 +487,13 @@ void FixQtpieReaxFF::init()
     if (efield->varflag == FixEfield::ATOM && efield->pstyle != FixEfield::ATOM)
       error->all(FLERR,"Atom-style external electric field requires atom-style "
                        "potential variable when used with fix {}", style);
+  } else {
+    if (utils::strmatch(style,"^qeqr/reax") && comm->me == 0)
+      error->warning(FLERR, "Use fix qeq/reaxff instead of fix {} when not using fix efield\n",
+                     style);
   }
 
+
   // we need a half neighbor list w/ Newton off
   // built whenever re-neighboring occurs