diff --git a/src/dump_atom.cpp b/src/dump_atom.cpp
index 7e89e5a075..6e70fdcd79 100644
--- a/src/dump_atom.cpp
+++ b/src/dump_atom.cpp
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ void DumpAtom::format_endian_binary()
   int endian = ENDIAN;
   fwrite(&endian, sizeof(int), 1, fp);
 }
+
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 void DumpAtom::format_revision_binary()
@@ -192,6 +193,30 @@ void DumpAtom::format_revision_binary()
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
+void DumpAtom::header_unit_style_binary()
+{
+  int len = 0;
+  if (unit_flag && !unit_count) {
+    ++unit_count;
+    len = strlen(update->unit_style);
+    fwrite(&len, sizeof(int), 1, fp);
+    fwrite(update->unit_style, sizeof(char), len, fp);
+  } else {
+    fwrite(&len, sizeof(int), 1, fp);
+  }
+}
+
+/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+void DumpAtom::header_columns_binary()
+{
+  int len = strlen(columns);
+  fwrite(&len, sizeof(int), 1, fp);
+  fwrite(columns, sizeof(char), len, fp);
+}
+
+/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
 void DumpAtom::header_format_binary()
 {
   format_magic_string_binary();
@@ -217,21 +242,8 @@ void DumpAtom::header_binary(bigint ndump)
   fwrite(&boxzhi,sizeof(double),1,fp);
   fwrite(&size_one,sizeof(int),1,fp);
 
-  int len = 0;
-
-  if (unit_flag && !unit_count) {
-    ++unit_count;
-    len = strlen(update->unit_style);
-    fwrite(&len, sizeof(int), 1, fp);
-    fwrite(update->unit_style, sizeof(char), len, fp);
-  } else {
-    fwrite(&len, sizeof(int), 1, fp);
-  }
-
-  len = strlen(columns);
-  fwrite(&len, sizeof(int), 1, fp);
-  fwrite(columns, sizeof(char), len, fp);
-
+  header_unit_style_binary();
+  header_columns_binary();
 
   if (multiproc) fwrite(&nclusterprocs,sizeof(int),1,fp);
   else fwrite(&nprocs,sizeof(int),1,fp);
@@ -242,6 +254,7 @@ void DumpAtom::header_binary(bigint ndump)
 void DumpAtom::header_binary_triclinic(bigint ndump)
 {
   header_format_binary();
+
   fwrite(&update->ntimestep,sizeof(bigint),1,fp);
   fwrite(&ndump,sizeof(bigint),1,fp);
   fwrite(&domain->triclinic,sizeof(int),1,fp);
@@ -257,20 +270,8 @@ void DumpAtom::header_binary_triclinic(bigint ndump)
   fwrite(&boxyz,sizeof(double),1,fp);
   fwrite(&size_one,sizeof(int),1,fp);
 
-  int len = 0;
-
-  if (unit_flag && !unit_count) {
-    ++unit_count;
-    len = strlen(update->unit_style);
-    fwrite(&len, sizeof(int), 1, fp);
-    fwrite(update->unit_style, sizeof(char), len, fp);
-  } else {
-    fwrite(&len, sizeof(int), 1, fp);
-  }
-
-  len = strlen(columns);
-  fwrite(&len, sizeof(int), 1, fp);
-  fwrite(columns, sizeof(char), len, fp);
+  header_unit_style_binary();
+  header_columns_binary();
 
   if (multiproc) fwrite(&nclusterprocs,sizeof(int),1,fp);
   else fwrite(&nprocs,sizeof(int),1,fp);
diff --git a/src/dump_atom.h b/src/dump_atom.h
index 4431a67bc0..433c52427a 100644
--- a/src/dump_atom.h
+++ b/src/dump_atom.h
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ class DumpAtom : public Dump {
   void write_data(int, double *);
 
   void header_format_binary();
+  void header_unit_style_binary();
+  void header_columns_binary();
   void format_magic_string_binary();
   void format_endian_binary();
   void format_revision_binary();