diff --git a/doc/src/pair_lj_cut_tip4p.rst b/doc/src/pair_lj_cut_tip4p.rst
index 4f55f3b14e..5f3b4e48e7 100644
--- a/doc/src/pair_lj_cut_tip4p.rst
+++ b/doc/src/pair_lj_cut_tip4p.rst
@@ -145,6 +145,22 @@ specified since a Coulombic cutoff cannot be specified for an individual I,J
 type pair. All type pairs use the same global Coulombic cutoff specified in
 the pair_style command.
 
+.. warning::
+
+   Because of how these pair styles implement the coulomb interactions
+   by implicitly defining a fourth site for the negative charge
+   of the TIP4P and similar water models, special care must be taken
+   when using these pair styles with other computations that also use
+   charges.  Unless they are specially set up to also handle the implicit
+   definition of the 4th site, results are likely incorrect.  Example:
+   :doc:`compute dipole/chunk <compute_dipole_chunk>`.  For the same
+   reason, when using one of these pair styles with
+   :doc:`pair_style  hybrid <pair_hybrid>`, **all** coulomb interactions
+   should be handled by a single sub-style with TIP4P support. All other
+   instances and styles will "see" the M point charges at the position
+   of the Oxygen atom and thus compute incorrect forces and energies.
+   LAMMPS will print a warning when it detects one of these issues.
+
 ----------
 
 A version of these styles with a soft core, *lj/cut/tip4p/long/soft*\ , suitable
diff --git a/src/compute_dipole_chunk.cpp b/src/compute_dipole_chunk.cpp
index cb0bb8d914..4ca991f90b 100644
--- a/src/compute_dipole_chunk.cpp
+++ b/src/compute_dipole_chunk.cpp
@@ -15,9 +15,11 @@
 #include "compute_dipole_chunk.h"
 
 #include "atom.h"
+#include "comm.h"
 #include "compute_chunk_atom.h"
 #include "domain.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "force.h"
 #include "math_special.h"
 #include "memory.h"
 #include "modify.h"
@@ -95,6 +97,10 @@ void ComputeDipoleChunk::init()
   cchunk = (ComputeChunkAtom *) modify->compute[icompute];
   if (strcmp(cchunk->style,"chunk/atom") != 0)
     error->all(FLERR,"Compute dipole/chunk does not use chunk/atom compute");
+
+  if ((force->pair_match("/tip4p/",0) != nullptr) && (comm->me == 0))
+    error->warning(FLERR,"Computed dipole moments may be incorrect when "
+                   "using a tip4p pair style");
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/pair_hybrid.cpp b/src/pair_hybrid.cpp
index ecbb8ffa0c..7c5976e65e 100644
--- a/src/pair_hybrid.cpp
+++ b/src/pair_hybrid.cpp
@@ -341,6 +341,8 @@ void PairHybrid::settings(int narg, char **arg)
 
   // multiple[i] = 1 to M if sub-style used multiple times, else 0
 
+  int num_tip4p = 0, num_coul = 0; // count sub-styles with tip4p and coulomb
+
   for (int i = 0; i < nstyles; i++) {
     int count = 0;
     for (int j = 0; j < nstyles; j++) {
@@ -348,8 +350,22 @@ void PairHybrid::settings(int narg, char **arg)
       if (j == i) multiple[i] = count;
     }
     if (count == 1) multiple[i] = 0;
+
+    if (utils::strmatch(keywords[i],"/tip4p/")) ++num_tip4p;
+    if (utils::strmatch(keywords[i],"/coul/")
+        || utils::strmatch(keywords[i],"^comb")
+        || utils::strmatch(keywords[i],"^reax/c")) ++num_coul;
   }
 
+  if ((num_tip4p > 1) && (comm->me == 0))
+    error->warning(FLERR,"Using multiple tip4p sub-styles can result in "
+                   "inconsistent calculation of coulomb interactions");
+
+  if ((num_tip4p > 0) && (num_coul > 0) && (comm->me == 0))
+    error->warning(FLERR,"Using a tip4p sub-style with other sub-styles "
+                   "that include coulomb interactions can result in "
+                   "inconsistent calculation of the coulomb interactions");
+
   // set pair flags from sub-style flags
 
   flags();