diff --git a/src/AMOEBA/pair_amoeba.cpp b/src/AMOEBA/pair_amoeba.cpp
index c94faf91a7..ee7e362487 100644
--- a/src/AMOEBA/pair_amoeba.cpp
+++ b/src/AMOEBA/pair_amoeba.cpp
@@ -831,17 +831,21 @@ void PairAmoeba::init_style()
     "xyzaxis", "polaxe", "pval"};
   int const flag_check[6] = {0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1}; // correct type (0 int, 1 dbl)
   int const cols_check[6] = {0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 0}; // xyzaxis 3 cols, all others 0
-  int const border_check[6] = {1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}; // which types need ghost
-  int flag, cols, border;
+  int const ghost_check[6] = {1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}; // which types need ghost
+  int flag, cols, ghost;
   int index[6];
 
   for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
-    index[i] = atom->find_custom(names[i], flag, cols, border);
+    if (ghost_check[i]) {
+      index[i] = atom->find_custom_ghost(names[i], flag, cols, ghost);
+    } else {
+      index[i] = atom->find_custom(names[i], flag, cols);
+    }
     std::string err = "";
     if (index[i] < 0) err = "was not defined";
     else if (flag_check[i] != flag) err = "has the wrong type";
     else if (cols_check[i] != cols) err = "has the wrong number of columns";
-    else if (border_check[i] && !border) err = "must be set by fix property/atom with ghost yes";
+    else if (ghost_check[i] && !ghost) err = "must be set by fix property/atom with ghost yes";
     if (err != "")
       error->all(FLERR,"Pair {} per-atom variable {} {}", mystyle, names[i], err);
   }
diff --git a/src/atom.cpp b/src/atom.cpp
index 8ac72e8950..63df04aa14 100644
--- a/src/atom.cpp
+++ b/src/atom.cpp
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ Atom::Atom(LAMMPS *_lmp) : Pointers(_lmp), atom_style(nullptr), avec(nullptr), a
   darray = nullptr;
   icols = dcols = nullptr;
   ivname = dvname = ianame = daname = nullptr;
+  ivghost = dvghost = iaghost = daghost = nullptr;
 
   // initialize atom style and array existence flags
 
@@ -333,6 +334,10 @@ Atom::~Atom()
   memory->sfree(darray);
   memory->sfree(icols);
   memory->sfree(dcols);
+  memory->destroy(ivghost);
+  memory->destroy(dvghost);
+  memory->destroy(iaghost);
+  memory->destroy(daghost);
 
   // delete user-defined molecules
 
@@ -2599,13 +2604,24 @@ void Atom::update_callback(int ifix)
     if (extra_border[i] > ifix) extra_border[i]--;
 }
 
+/** \brief Find a custom per-atom property with given name
+\verbatim embed:rst
+
+This function returns the list index of a custom per-atom property
+with the name "name", also returning by reference its data type and
+number of values per atom.
+\endverbatim
+ * \param name Name of the property (w/o a "i_" or "d_" or "i2_" or "d2_" prefix)
+ * \param &flag Returns data type of property: 0 for int, 1 for double
+ * \param &cols Returns number of values: 0 for a single value, 1 or more for a vector of values
+ * \return index of property in the respective list of properties
+ */
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    find custom per-atom vector with name
    return index if found, -1 if not found
      lists of names can have NULL entries if previously removed
    return flag = 0/1 for int/double
    return cols = 0/N for vector/array where N = # of columns
-   return border = 0/1 if fix property/atom has "ghost" no/yes
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 int Atom::find_custom(const char *name, int &flag, int &cols)
@@ -2643,10 +2659,30 @@ int Atom::find_custom(const char *name, int &flag, int &cols)
   return -1;
 }
 
-int Atom::find_custom(const char *name, int &flag, int &cols, int &border)
+/** \brief Find a custom per-atom property with given name and retrieve ghost property
+\verbatim embed:rst
+
+This function returns the list index of a custom per-atom property
+with the name "name", also returning by reference its data type,
+number of values per atom, and if it is communicated to ghost particles.
+Classes rarely need to check on ghost communication and so `find_custom`
+is typically preferred to this function. See :doc:`pair amoeba <pair_amoeba>`
+for an example where checking ghost communication is necessary.
+\endverbatim
+ * \param name Name of the property (w/o a "i_" or "d_" or "i2_" or "d2_" prefix)
+ * \param &flag Returns data type of property: 0 for int, 1 for double
+ * \param &cols Returns number of values: 0 for a single value, 1 or more for a vector of values
+ * \param &ghost Returns whether property is communicated to ghost atoms: 0 for no, 1 for yes
+ * \return index of property in the respective list of properties
+ */
+int Atom::find_custom_ghost(const char *name, int &flag, int &cols, int &ghost)
 {
   int i = find_custom(name, flag, cols);
-  if (i != -1) border = custom_border[flag + (cols) ? 2 : 0][i];
+  if (i == -1) return i;
+  if ((flag == 0) && (cols == 0)) ghost = ivghost[i];
+  else if ((flag == 1) && (cols == 0)) ghost = dvghost[i];
+  else if ((flag == 0) && (cols == 1)) ghost = iaghost[i];
+  else if ((flag == 1) && (cols == 1)) ghost = daghost[i];
   return i;
 }
 
@@ -2660,9 +2696,10 @@ This function is called, e.g. from :doc:`fix property/atom <fix_property_atom>`.
  * \param name Name of the property (w/o a "i_" or "d_" or "i2_" or "d2_" prefix)
  * \param flag Data type of property: 0 for int, 1 for double
  * \param cols Number of values: 0 for a single value, 1 or more for a vector of values
+ * \param ghost Whether property is communicated to ghost atoms: 0 for no, 1 for yes 
  * \return index of property in the respective list of properties
  */
-int Atom::add_custom(const char *name, int flag, int cols, int border)
+int Atom::add_custom(const char *name, int flag, int cols, int ghost)
 {
   int index = -1;
 
@@ -2671,6 +2708,8 @@ int Atom::add_custom(const char *name, int flag, int cols, int border)
     nivector++;
     ivname = (char **) memory->srealloc(ivname,nivector*sizeof(char *),"atom:ivname");
     ivname[index] = utils::strdup(name);
+    ivghost = (int *) memory->srealloc(ivghost,nivector*sizeof(int),"atom:ivghost");
+    ivghost[index] = ghost;
     ivector = (int **) memory->srealloc(ivector,nivector*sizeof(int *),"atom:ivector");
     memory->create(ivector[index],nmax,"atom:ivector");
 
@@ -2679,6 +2718,8 @@ int Atom::add_custom(const char *name, int flag, int cols, int border)
     ndvector++;
     dvname = (char **) memory->srealloc(dvname,ndvector*sizeof(char *),"atom:dvname");
     dvname[index] = utils::strdup(name);
+    dvghost = (int *) memory->srealloc(dvghost,ndvector*sizeof(int),"atom:dvghost");
+    dvghost[index] = ghost;
     dvector = (double **) memory->srealloc(dvector,ndvector*sizeof(double *),"atom:dvector");
     memory->create(dvector[index],nmax,"atom:dvector");
 
@@ -2687,6 +2728,8 @@ int Atom::add_custom(const char *name, int flag, int cols, int border)
     niarray++;
     ianame = (char **) memory->srealloc(ianame,niarray*sizeof(char *),"atom:ianame");
     ianame[index] = utils::strdup(name);
+    iaghost = (int *) memory->srealloc(iaghost,niarray*sizeof(int),"atom:iaghost");
+    iaghost[index] = ghost;
     iarray = (int ***) memory->srealloc(iarray,niarray*sizeof(int **),"atom:iarray");
     memory->create(iarray[index],nmax,cols,"atom:iarray");
     icols = (int *) memory->srealloc(icols,niarray*sizeof(int),"atom:icols");
@@ -2697,6 +2740,8 @@ int Atom::add_custom(const char *name, int flag, int cols, int border)
     ndarray++;
     daname = (char **) memory->srealloc(daname,ndarray*sizeof(char *),"atom:daname");
     daname[index] = utils::strdup(name);
+    daghost = (int *) memory->srealloc(daghost,ndarray*sizeof(int),"atom:daghost");
+    daghost[index] = ghost;
     darray = (double ***) memory->srealloc(darray,ndarray*sizeof(double **),"atom:darray");
     memory->create(darray[index],nmax,cols,"atom:darray");
     dcols = (int *) memory->srealloc(dcols,ndarray*sizeof(int),"atom:dcols");
@@ -2705,8 +2750,6 @@ int Atom::add_custom(const char *name, int flag, int cols, int border)
 
   if (index < 0)
     error->all(FLERR,"Invalid call to Atom::add_custom()");
-  else
-    custom_border[flag + (cols) ? 2 : 0].push_back(border);
 
   return index;
 }
diff --git a/src/atom.h b/src/atom.h
index 6f22ebd160..b515797bb3 100644
--- a/src/atom.h
+++ b/src/atom.h
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ class Atom : protected Pointers {
   int *icols, *dcols;
   char **ivname, **dvname, **ianame, **daname;
   int nivector, ndvector, niarray, ndarray;
-  std::array<std::vector<int>, 4> custom_border;
+  int *ivghost, *dvghost, *iaghost, *daghost;
 
   // molecule templates
   // each template can be a set of consecutive molecules
@@ -366,8 +366,8 @@ class Atom : protected Pointers {
   void update_callback(int);
 
   int find_custom(const char *, int &, int &);
-  int find_custom(const char *, int &, int &, int &);
-  virtual int add_custom(const char *, int, int, int border = 0);
+  int find_custom_ghost(const char *, int &, int &, int &);
+  virtual int add_custom(const char *, int, int, int ghost = 0);
   virtual void remove_custom(int, int, int);
 
   void *extract(const char *);