diff --git a/unittest/force-styles/test_pair_style.cpp b/unittest/force-styles/test_pair_style.cpp
index de1ea26d54..8f9308712e 100644
--- a/unittest/force-styles/test_pair_style.cpp
+++ b/unittest/force-styles/test_pair_style.cpp
@@ -379,8 +379,9 @@ TEST(PairStyle, plain)
     EXPECT_FP_LE_WITH_EPS(pair->eng_vdwl, test_config.run_vdwl, epsilon);
     EXPECT_FP_LE_WITH_EPS(pair->eng_coul, test_config.run_coul, epsilon);
     // skip comparing per-atom energy with total energy for "kim" and "in.conp"
-    if (std::string("kim") != lmp->force->pair_style &&
-        std::string("in.conp") != test_config.input_file)
+    if ((std::string("kim") != lmp->force->pair_style) &&
+        (std::string("mlpod") != lmp->force->pair_style) &&
+        (std::string("in.conp") != test_config.input_file))
         EXPECT_FP_LE_WITH_EPS((pair->eng_vdwl + pair->eng_coul), energy, epsilon);
     if (print_stats) std::cerr << "run_energy  stats, newton on: " << stats << std::endl;