diff --git a/src/angle.cpp b/src/angle.cpp
index 9c2e29188a..b668171d75 100644
--- a/src/angle.cpp
+++ b/src/angle.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ Angle::~Angle()
 
 void Angle::init()
 {
-  if (!allocated) error->all(FLERR,"Angle coeffs are not set");
+  if (!allocated && atom->nangletypes) 
+    error->all(FLERR,"Angle coeffs are not set");
   for (int i = 1; i <= atom->nangletypes; i++)
     if (setflag[i] == 0) error->all(FLERR,"All angle coeffs are not set");
 
diff --git a/src/bond.cpp b/src/bond.cpp
index 941bb7e9a4..ec560b7199 100644
--- a/src/bond.cpp
+++ b/src/bond.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ Bond::~Bond()
 
 void Bond::init()
 {
-  if (!allocated) error->all(FLERR,"Bond coeffs are not set");
+  if (!allocated && atom->nbondtypes) 
+    error->all(FLERR,"Bond coeffs are not set");
   for (int i = 1; i <= atom->nbondtypes; i++)
     if (setflag[i] == 0) error->all(FLERR,"All bond coeffs are not set");
   init_style();
diff --git a/src/dihedral.cpp b/src/dihedral.cpp
index 6f9f69ca06..26976d5801 100644
--- a/src/dihedral.cpp
+++ b/src/dihedral.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ Dihedral::~Dihedral()
 
 void Dihedral::init()
 {
-  if (!allocated) error->all(FLERR,"Dihedral coeffs are not set");
+  if (!allocated && atom->ndihedraltypes) 
+    error->all(FLERR,"Dihedral coeffs are not set");
   for (int i = 1; i <= atom->ndihedraltypes; i++)
     if (setflag[i] == 0) error->all(FLERR,"All dihedral coeffs are not set");
   init_style();
diff --git a/src/improper.cpp b/src/improper.cpp
index f9dd99c5f2..91753cb9f4 100644
--- a/src/improper.cpp
+++ b/src/improper.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ Improper::~Improper()
 
 void Improper::init()
 {
-  if (!allocated) error->all(FLERR,"Improper coeffs are not set");
+  if (!allocated && atom->nimpropertypes) 
+    error->all(FLERR,"Improper coeffs are not set");
   for (int i = 1; i <= atom->nimpropertypes; i++)
     if (setflag[i] == 0) error->all(FLERR,"All improper coeffs are not set");
 }