diff --git a/src/write_dump.cpp b/src/write_dump.cpp
index 8cd7dec88e..4bc640e084 100644
--- a/src/write_dump.cpp
+++ b/src/write_dump.cpp
@@ -50,15 +50,21 @@ void WriteDump::command(int narg, char **arg)
   int dumpfreq = MAX(1, update->nsteps);
   dumpfreq += update->ntimestep % dumpfreq;
 
+  std::string dump_id = "WRITE_DUMP";
   auto dumpargs = new char *[modindex + 2];
-  dumpargs[0] = (char *) "WRITE_DUMP";                      // dump id
+  dumpargs[0] = (char *) dump_id.c_str();                   // dump id
   dumpargs[1] = arg[0];                                     // group
   dumpargs[2] = arg[1];                                     // dump style
   dumpargs[3] = utils::strdup(std::to_string(dumpfreq));    // dump frequency
 
+  // delete existing dump with same ID to avoid re-use of dump-ID error
+
+  auto *dump = output->get_dump_by_id(dump_id);
+  if (dump) output->delete_dump(dump_id);
+
   for (int i = 2; i < modindex; ++i) dumpargs[i + 2] = arg[i];
 
-  Dump *dump = output->add_dump(modindex + 2, dumpargs);
+  dump = output->add_dump(modindex + 2, dumpargs);
   if (modindex < narg) dump->modify_params(narg - modindex - 1, &arg[modindex + 1]);
 
   // write out one frame and then delete the dump again
@@ -74,7 +80,7 @@ void WriteDump::command(int narg, char **arg)
 
   // delete the Dump instance and local storage
 
-  output->delete_dump(dumpargs[0]);
+  output->delete_dump(dump_id);
   delete[] dumpargs[3];
   delete[] dumpargs;
 }