diff --git a/src/KOKKOS/fix_qeq_reaxff_kokkos.cpp b/src/KOKKOS/fix_qeq_reaxff_kokkos.cpp
index 7fe0285aec..6527ed9314 100644
--- a/src/KOKKOS/fix_qeq_reaxff_kokkos.cpp
+++ b/src/KOKKOS/fix_qeq_reaxff_kokkos.cpp
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ void FixQEqReaxFFKokkos<DeviceType>::allocate_matrix()
     Kokkos::parallel_reduce(nn,neigh_functor,m_cap_big);
   }
   if (m_cap_big > MAXSMALLINT)
-    error->one(FLERR,"Number of neighbors too large in fix qeq/reaxff");
+    error->one(FLERR,"Too many neighbors in fix qeq/reaxff");
   m_cap = m_cap_big;
 
   // deallocate first to reduce memory overhead
diff --git a/src/QEQ/fix_qeq.cpp b/src/QEQ/fix_qeq.cpp
index 7f0ac6200e..e9238c6065 100644
--- a/src/QEQ/fix_qeq.cpp
+++ b/src/QEQ/fix_qeq.cpp
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ void FixQEq::allocate_matrix()
   }
   bigint m_cap_big = MAX((int)(m * safezone), mincap * MIN_NBRS);
   if (m_cap_big > MAXSMALLINT)
-    error->one(FLERR,"Number of neighbors too large in fix qeq/reaxff");
+    error->one(FLERR,"Too many neighbors in fix qeq");
   m_cap = m_cap_big;
 
   H.n = n_cap;
diff --git a/src/REAXFF/fix_qeq_reaxff.cpp b/src/REAXFF/fix_qeq_reaxff.cpp
index eaeb7f788c..29b1149773 100644
--- a/src/REAXFF/fix_qeq_reaxff.cpp
+++ b/src/REAXFF/fix_qeq_reaxff.cpp
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ void FixQEqReaxFF::allocate_matrix()
   }
   bigint m_cap_big = MAX((int)(m * safezone), mincap * REAX_MIN_NBRS);
   if (m_cap_big > MAXSMALLINT)
-    error->one(FLERR,"Number of neighbors too large in fix qeq/reaxff");
+    error->one(FLERR,"Too many neighbors in fix qeq/reaxff");
   m_cap = m_cap_big;
 
   H.n = n_cap;