diff --git a/src/special.cpp b/src/special.cpp
index 7f855163e0..903794c0f6 100644
--- a/src/special.cpp
+++ b/src/special.cpp
@@ -821,21 +821,26 @@ void Special::angle_trim()
 
     int nsend = 0;
     for (i = 0; i < nlocal; i++) {
-      for (j = 0; j < num_angle[i]; j++) {
-        if (tag[i] != angle_atom2[i][j]) continue;
-        m = atom->map(angle_atom1[i][j]);
-        if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) nsend++;
-        m = atom->map(angle_atom3[i][j]);
-        if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) nsend++;
+      if (num_angle) {
+        for (j = 0; j < num_angle[i]; j++) {
+          if (tag[i] != angle_atom2[i][j]) continue;
+          m = atom->map(angle_atom1[i][j]);
+          if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) nsend++;
+          m = atom->map(angle_atom3[i][j]);
+          if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) nsend++;
+        }
       }
-      for (j = 0; j < num_dihedral[i]; j++) {
-        if (tag[i] != dihedral_atom2[i][j]) continue;
-        m = atom->map(dihedral_atom1[i][j]);
-        if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) nsend++;
-        m = atom->map(dihedral_atom3[i][j]);
-        if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) nsend++;
-        m = atom->map(dihedral_atom4[i][j]);
-        if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) nsend++;
+
+      if (num_dihedral) {
+        for (j = 0; j < num_dihedral[i]; j++) {
+          if (tag[i] != dihedral_atom2[i][j]) continue;
+          m = atom->map(dihedral_atom1[i][j]);
+          if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) nsend++;
+          m = atom->map(dihedral_atom3[i][j]);
+          if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) nsend++;
+          m = atom->map(dihedral_atom4[i][j]);
+          if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) nsend++;
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -852,51 +857,55 @@ void Special::angle_trim()
 
     nsend = 0;
     for (i = 0; i < nlocal; i++) {
-      for (j = 0; j < num_angle[i]; j++) {
-        if (tag[i] != angle_atom2[i][j]) continue;
+      if (num_angle) {
+        for (j = 0; j < num_angle[i]; j++) {
+          if (tag[i] != angle_atom2[i][j]) continue;
 
-        m = atom->map(angle_atom1[i][j]);
-        if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) {
-          proclist[nsend] = angle_atom1[i][j] % nprocs;
-          inbuf[nsend].atomID = angle_atom1[i][j];
-          inbuf[nsend].partnerID = angle_atom3[i][j];
-          nsend++;
-        }
+          m = atom->map(angle_atom1[i][j]);
+          if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) {
+            proclist[nsend] = angle_atom1[i][j] % nprocs;
+            inbuf[nsend].atomID = angle_atom1[i][j];
+            inbuf[nsend].partnerID = angle_atom3[i][j];
+            nsend++;
+          }
 
-        m = atom->map(angle_atom3[i][j]);
-        if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) {
-          proclist[nsend] = angle_atom3[i][j] % nprocs;
-          inbuf[nsend].atomID = angle_atom3[i][j];
-          inbuf[nsend].partnerID = angle_atom1[i][j];
-          nsend++;
+          m = atom->map(angle_atom3[i][j]);
+          if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) {
+            proclist[nsend] = angle_atom3[i][j] % nprocs;
+            inbuf[nsend].atomID = angle_atom3[i][j];
+            inbuf[nsend].partnerID = angle_atom1[i][j];
+            nsend++;
+          }
         }
       }
 
-      for (j = 0; j < num_dihedral[i]; j++) {
-        if (tag[i] != dihedral_atom2[i][j]) continue;
+      if (num_dihedral) {
+        for (j = 0; j < num_dihedral[i]; j++) {
+          if (tag[i] != dihedral_atom2[i][j]) continue;
 
-        m = atom->map(dihedral_atom1[i][j]);
-        if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) {
-          proclist[nsend] = dihedral_atom1[i][j] % nprocs;
-          inbuf[nsend].atomID = dihedral_atom1[i][j];
-          inbuf[nsend].partnerID = dihedral_atom3[i][j];
-          nsend++;
-        }
+          m = atom->map(dihedral_atom1[i][j]);
+          if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) {
+            proclist[nsend] = dihedral_atom1[i][j] % nprocs;
+            inbuf[nsend].atomID = dihedral_atom1[i][j];
+            inbuf[nsend].partnerID = dihedral_atom3[i][j];
+            nsend++;
+          }
 
-        m = atom->map(dihedral_atom3[i][j]);
-        if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) {
-          proclist[nsend] = dihedral_atom3[i][j] % nprocs;
-          inbuf[nsend].atomID = dihedral_atom3[i][j];
-          inbuf[nsend].partnerID = dihedral_atom1[i][j];
-          nsend++;
-        }
+          m = atom->map(dihedral_atom3[i][j]);
+          if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) {
+            proclist[nsend] = dihedral_atom3[i][j] % nprocs;
+            inbuf[nsend].atomID = dihedral_atom3[i][j];
+            inbuf[nsend].partnerID = dihedral_atom1[i][j];
+            nsend++;
+          }
 
-        m = atom->map(dihedral_atom4[i][j]);
-        if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) {
-          proclist[nsend] = dihedral_atom4[i][j] % nprocs;
-          inbuf[nsend].atomID = dihedral_atom4[i][j];
-          inbuf[nsend].partnerID = dihedral_atom2[i][j];
-          nsend++;
+          m = atom->map(dihedral_atom4[i][j]);
+          if (m < 0 || m >= nlocal) {
+            proclist[nsend] = dihedral_atom4[i][j] % nprocs;
+            inbuf[nsend].atomID = dihedral_atom4[i][j];
+            inbuf[nsend].partnerID = dihedral_atom2[i][j];
+            nsend++;
+          }
         }
       }
     }
@@ -932,56 +941,60 @@ void Special::angle_trim()
     // output datums = pairs of atoms that are 1-3 neighbors
 
     for (i = 0; i < nlocal; i++) {
-      for (j = 0; j < num_angle[i]; j++) {
-        if (tag[i] != angle_atom2[i][j]) continue;
+      if (num_angle) {
+        for (j = 0; j < num_angle[i]; j++) {
+          if (tag[i] != angle_atom2[i][j]) continue;
 
-        m = atom->map(angle_atom1[i][j]);
-        if (m >= 0 && m < nlocal) {
-          for (k = 0; k < nspecial[m][1]; k++)
-            if (onethree[m][k] == angle_atom3[i][j]) {
-              flag[m][k] = 1;
-              break;
-            }
-        }
+          m = atom->map(angle_atom1[i][j]);
+          if (m >= 0 && m < nlocal) {
+            for (k = 0; k < nspecial[m][1]; k++)
+              if (onethree[m][k] == angle_atom3[i][j]) {
+                flag[m][k] = 1;
+                break;
+              }
+          }
 
-        m = atom->map(angle_atom3[i][j]);
-        if (m >= 0 && m < nlocal) {
-          for (k = 0; k < nspecial[m][1]; k++)
-            if (onethree[m][k] == angle_atom1[i][j]) {
-              flag[m][k] = 1;
-              break;
-            }
+          m = atom->map(angle_atom3[i][j]);
+          if (m >= 0 && m < nlocal) {
+            for (k = 0; k < nspecial[m][1]; k++)
+              if (onethree[m][k] == angle_atom1[i][j]) {
+                flag[m][k] = 1;
+                break;
+              }
+          }
         }
       }
 
-      for (j = 0; j < num_dihedral[i]; j++) {
-        if (tag[i] != dihedral_atom2[i][j]) continue;
+      if (num_dihedral) {
+        for (j = 0; j < num_dihedral[i]; j++) {
+          if (tag[i] != dihedral_atom2[i][j]) continue;
 
-        m = atom->map(dihedral_atom1[i][j]);
-        if (m >= 0 && m < nlocal) {
-          for (k = 0; k < nspecial[m][1]; k++)
-            if (onethree[m][k] == dihedral_atom3[i][j]) {
-              flag[m][k] = 1;
-              break;
-            }
-        }
+          m = atom->map(dihedral_atom1[i][j]);
+          if (m >= 0 && m < nlocal) {
+            for (k = 0; k < nspecial[m][1]; k++)
+              if (onethree[m][k] == dihedral_atom3[i][j]) {
+                flag[m][k] = 1;
+                break;
+              }
+          }
 
-        m = atom->map(dihedral_atom3[i][j]);
-        if (m >= 0 && m < nlocal) {
-          for (k = 0; k < nspecial[m][1]; k++)
-            if (onethree[m][k] == dihedral_atom1[i][j]) {
-              flag[m][k] = 1;
-              break;
-            }
-        }
+          m = atom->map(dihedral_atom3[i][j]);
+          if (m >= 0 && m < nlocal) {
+            for (k = 0; k < nspecial[m][1]; k++)
+              if (onethree[m][k] == dihedral_atom1[i][j]) {
+                flag[m][k] = 1;
+                break;
+              }
+          }
 
-        m = atom->map(dihedral_atom4[i][j]);
-        if (m >= 0 && m < nlocal) {
-          for (k = 0; k < nspecial[m][1]; k++)
-            if (onethree[m][k] == dihedral_atom2[i][j]) {
-              flag[m][k] = 1;
-              break;
-            }
+          m = atom->map(dihedral_atom4[i][j]);
+          if (m >= 0 && m < nlocal) {
+            for (k = 0; k < nspecial[m][1]; k++)
+              if (onethree[m][k] == dihedral_atom2[i][j]) {
+                flag[m][k] = 1;
+                break;
+              }
+          }
         }
       }
     }
@@ -1012,7 +1025,7 @@ void Special::angle_trim()
 
     memory->destroy(flag);
 
-  // if no angles or dihedrals are defined, delete all 1-3 neighs
+    // if no angles or dihedrals are defined, delete all 1-3 neighs
 
   } else {
     for (i = 0; i < nlocal; i++) nspecial[i][1] = 0;