diff --git a/src/create_bonds.cpp b/src/create_bonds.cpp
index 8b5ab60f05..751c4746ba 100644
--- a/src/create_bonds.cpp
+++ b/src/create_bonds.cpp
@@ -323,9 +323,13 @@ void CreateBonds::single_bond()
 
   // check that 2 atoms exist
 
+  const int nlocal = atom->nlocal;
+  const int idx1 = atom->map(batom1);
+  const int idx2 = atom->map(batom2);
+
   int count = 0;
-  if (atom->map(batom1) >= 0) count++;
-  if (atom->map(batom2) >= 0) count++;
+  if ((idx1 >= 0) && (idx1 < nlocal)) count++;
+  if ((idx2 >= 0) && (idx2 < nlocal)) count++;
 
   int allcount;
   MPI_Allreduce(&count,&allcount,1,MPI_INT,MPI_SUM,world);
@@ -338,7 +342,7 @@ void CreateBonds::single_bond()
   int **bond_type = atom->bond_type;
   tagint **bond_atom = atom->bond_atom;
 
-  if ((m = atom->map(batom1)) >= 0) {
+  if ((m = idx1) >= 0) {
     if (num_bond[m] == atom->bond_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR,"New bond exceeded bonds per atom in create_bonds");
     bond_type[m][num_bond[m]] = btype;
@@ -349,7 +353,7 @@ void CreateBonds::single_bond()
 
   if (force->newton_bond) return;
 
-  if ((m = atom->map(batom2)) >= 0) {
+  if ((m = idx2) >= 0) {
     if (num_bond[m] == atom->bond_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR,"New bond exceeded bonds per atom in create_bonds");
     bond_type[m][num_bond[m]] = btype;
@@ -366,10 +370,15 @@ void CreateBonds::single_angle()
 
   // check that 3 atoms exist
 
+  const int nlocal = atom->nlocal;
+  const int idx1 = atom->map(aatom1);
+  const int idx2 = atom->map(aatom2);
+  const int idx3 = atom->map(aatom3);
+
   int count = 0;
-  if (atom->map(aatom1) >= 0) count++;
-  if (atom->map(aatom2) >= 0) count++;
-  if (atom->map(aatom3) >= 0) count++;
+  if ((idx1 >= 0) && (idx1 < nlocal)) count++;
+  if ((idx2 >= 0) && (idx2 < nlocal)) count++;
+  if ((idx3 >= 0) && (idx3 < nlocal)) count++;
 
   int allcount;
   MPI_Allreduce(&count,&allcount,1,MPI_INT,MPI_SUM,world);
@@ -384,7 +393,7 @@ void CreateBonds::single_angle()
   tagint **angle_atom2 = atom->angle_atom2;
   tagint **angle_atom3 = atom->angle_atom3;
 
-  if ((m = atom->map(aatom2)) >= 0) {
+  if ((m = idx2) >= 0) {
     if (num_angle[m] == atom->angle_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR,"New angle exceeded angles per atom in create_bonds");
     angle_type[m][num_angle[m]] = atype;
@@ -397,7 +406,7 @@ void CreateBonds::single_angle()
 
   if (force->newton_bond) return;
 
-  if ((m = atom->map(aatom1)) >= 0) {
+  if ((m = idx1) >= 0) {
     if (num_angle[m] == atom->angle_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR,"New angle exceeded angles per atom in create_bonds");
     angle_type[m][num_angle[m]] = atype;
@@ -407,7 +416,7 @@ void CreateBonds::single_angle()
     num_angle[m]++;
   }
 
-  if ((m = atom->map(aatom3)) >= 0) {
+  if ((m = idx3) >= 0) {
     if (num_angle[m] == atom->angle_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR,"New angle exceeded angles per atom in create_bonds");
     angle_type[m][num_angle[m]] = atype;
@@ -426,11 +435,17 @@ void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
 
   // check that 4 atoms exist
 
+  const int nlocal = atom->nlocal;
+  const int idx1 = atom->map(datom1);
+  const int idx2 = atom->map(datom2);
+  const int idx3 = atom->map(datom3);
+  const int idx4 = atom->map(datom4);
+
   int count = 0;
-  if (atom->map(datom1) >= 0) count++;
-  if (atom->map(datom2) >= 0) count++;
-  if (atom->map(datom3) >= 0) count++;
-  if (atom->map(datom4) >= 0) count++;
+  if ((idx1 >= 0) && (idx1 < nlocal)) count++;
+  if ((idx2 >= 0) && (idx2 < nlocal)) count++;
+  if ((idx3 >= 0) && (idx3 < nlocal)) count++;
+  if ((idx4 >= 0) && (idx4 < nlocal)) count++;
 
   int allcount;
   MPI_Allreduce(&count,&allcount,1,MPI_INT,MPI_SUM,world);
@@ -446,7 +461,7 @@ void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
   tagint **dihedral_atom3 = atom->dihedral_atom3;
   tagint **dihedral_atom4 = atom->dihedral_atom4;
 
-  if ((m = atom->map(datom2)) >= 0) {
+  if ((m = idx2) >= 0) {
     if (num_dihedral[m] == atom->dihedral_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR,
                  "New dihedral exceeded dihedrals per atom in create_bonds");
@@ -461,7 +476,7 @@ void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
 
   if (force->newton_bond) return;
 
-  if ((m = atom->map(datom1)) >= 0) {
+  if ((m = idx1) >= 0) {
     if (num_dihedral[m] == atom->dihedral_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR,
                  "New dihedral exceeded dihedrals per atom in create_bonds");
@@ -473,7 +488,7 @@ void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
     num_dihedral[m]++;
   }
 
-  if ((m = atom->map(datom3)) >= 0) {
+  if ((m = idx3) >= 0) {
     if (num_dihedral[m] == atom->dihedral_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR,
                  "New dihedral exceeded dihedrals per atom in create_bonds");
@@ -485,7 +500,7 @@ void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
     num_dihedral[m]++;
   }
 
-  if ((m = atom->map(datom4)) >= 0) {
+  if ((m = idx4) >= 0) {
     if (num_dihedral[m] == atom->dihedral_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR,
                  "New dihedral exceeded dihedrals per atom in create_bonds");