diff --git a/src/neigh_request.cpp b/src/neigh_request.cpp
index 7df8e95639..a9c0924387 100644
--- a/src/neigh_request.cpp
+++ b/src/neigh_request.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ NeighRequest::NeighRequest(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
 
   occasional = 0;
   newton = 0;
-  special = 1;
+  //special = 1;
   dnum = 0;
   ghost = 0;
   omp = 0;
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ int NeighRequest::identical(NeighRequest *other)
 
   if (newton != other->newton) same = 0;
   if (occasional != other->occasional) same = 0;
-  if (special != other->special) same = 0;
+  //if (special != other->special) same = 0;
   if (dnum != other->dnum) same = 0;
   if (ghost != other->ghost) same = 0;
   if (omp != other->omp) same = 0;
diff --git a/src/neigh_request.h b/src/neigh_request.h
index 0187d15746..db1414b08a 100644
--- a/src/neigh_request.h
+++ b/src/neigh_request.h
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class NeighRequest : protected Pointers {
   // 0 if user of list wants no encoding of special bond flags and all neighs
   // 1 if user of list wants special bond flags encoded, set by default
 
-  int special;
+  //int special;
 
   // number of auxiliary floating point values to store, 0 if none
   // set by requesting class