diff --git a/src/ML-RANN/pair_rann.cpp b/src/ML-RANN/pair_rann.cpp
index 3f3e95282c..d20a750ff8 100644
--- a/src/ML-RANN/pair_rann.cpp
+++ b/src/ML-RANN/pair_rann.cpp
@@ -897,9 +897,9 @@ void PairRANN::compute(int eflag, int vflag)
       }
       //run fingerprints through network
       if (dospin) {
-        propagateforwardspin(&energy,force,fm,ii,jnum);
+        propagateforwardspin(energy,force,fm,ii,jnum);
       } else {
-        propagateforward(&energy,force,ii,jnum);
+        propagateforward(energy,force,ii,jnum);
       }
   }
   if (vflag_fdotr) virial_fdotr_compute();
@@ -1071,7 +1071,7 @@ void PairRANN::screening(int ii,int sid,int jnum)
 
 
 //Called by getproperties. Propagate features and dfeatures through network. Updates force and energy
-void PairRANN::propagateforward(double *energy,double **force,int ii,int jnum) {
+void PairRANN::propagateforward(double &energy,double **force,int ii,int jnum) {
   int i,j,k,jj,j1,itype,i1;
   int *ilist;
   ilist = listfull->ilist;
@@ -1097,7 +1097,7 @@ void PairRANN::propagateforward(double *energy,double **force,int ii,int jnum) {
       dsum1 = activation[itype][i]->dactivation_function(sum[j]);
       sum[j] = activation[itype][i]->activation_function(sum[j]);
       if (i==L-1) {
-        energy[j] = sum[j];
+        energy = sum[j];
         if (eflag_atom) eatom[i1]=sum[j];
         if (eflag_global) eng_vdwl +=sum[j];
       }
@@ -1148,7 +1148,7 @@ void PairRANN::propagateforward(double *energy,double **force,int ii,int jnum) {
 }
 
 //Called by getproperties. Propagate features and dfeatures through network. Updates force and energy
-void PairRANN::propagateforwardspin(double * energy,double **force,double **fm,int ii,int jnum) {
+void PairRANN::propagateforwardspin(double &energy,double **force,double **fm,int ii,int jnum) {
   int i,j,k,jj,j1,itype,i1;
   int *ilist;
   ilist = listfull->ilist;
@@ -1174,7 +1174,7 @@ void PairRANN::propagateforwardspin(double * energy,double **force,double **fm,i
       dsum1 = activation[itype][i]->dactivation_function(sum[j]);
       sum[j] = activation[itype][i]->activation_function(sum[j]);
       if (i==L-1) {
-        energy[j] = sum[j];
+        energy = sum[j];
         if (eflag_atom) eatom[i1]=sum[j];
         if (eflag_global) eng_vdwl +=sum[j];
       }
diff --git a/src/ML-RANN/pair_rann.h b/src/ML-RANN/pair_rann.h
index 15724575fa..bd16187a13 100644
--- a/src/ML-RANN/pair_rann.h
+++ b/src/ML-RANN/pair_rann.h
@@ -158,9 +158,9 @@ class PairRANN : public Pair {
   void read_mass(const std::vector<std::string> &, const std::vector<std::string> &, const char *,
                  int);
   bool check_potential();    //after finishing reading potential file
-  void propagateforward(double *, double **, int,
+  void propagateforward(double &, double **, int,
                         int);    //called by compute to get force and energy
-  void propagateforwardspin(double *, double **, double **, int,
+  void propagateforwardspin(double &, double **, double **, int,
                             int);    //called by compute to get force and energy
   void screening(int, int, int);
   void cull_neighbor_list(int *, int, int);