diff --git a/src/MISC/fix_deposit.cpp b/src/MISC/fix_deposit.cpp
index cb2b7e6531..267bce9a02 100644
--- a/src/MISC/fix_deposit.cpp
+++ b/src/MISC/fix_deposit.cpp
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ void FixDeposit::pre_exchange()
       while (rng > molfrac[imol]) imol++;
       natom = onemols[imol]->natoms;
       if (dimension == 3) {
-        if (rflag == 1) {
+        if (orientflag == 1) {
           r[0] = rx;
           r[1] = ry;
           r[2] = rz;
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ void FixDeposit::options(int narg, char **arg)
   xmid = ymid = zmid = 0.0;
   scaleflag = 1;
   targetflag = 0;
-  rflag = 0;
+  orientflag = 0;
   rx = 0.0;
   ry = 0.0;
   rz = 0.0;
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ void FixDeposit::options(int narg, char **arg)
       iarg += 3;
     } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"orientation") == 0) {
       if (iarg+4 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal fix deposit command");
-      rflag = 1;
+      orientflag = 1;
       rx = force->numeric(FLERR,arg[iarg+1]);
       ry = force->numeric(FLERR,arg[iarg+2]);
       rz = force->numeric(FLERR,arg[iarg+3]);
diff --git a/src/MISC/fix_deposit.h b/src/MISC/fix_deposit.h
index bc24dba2d2..92598862d2 100644
--- a/src/MISC/fix_deposit.h
+++ b/src/MISC/fix_deposit.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class FixDeposit : public Fix {
  private:
   int ninsert,ntype,nfreq,seed;
   int iregion,globalflag,localflag,maxattempt,rateflag,scaleflag,targetflag;
-  int mode,rigidflag,shakeflag,idnext,distflag,rflag;
+  int mode,rigidflag,shakeflag,idnext,distflag,orientflag;
   double lo,hi,deltasq,nearsq,rate,sigma;
   double vxlo,vxhi,vylo,vyhi,vzlo,vzhi,rx,ry,rz;
   double xlo,xhi,ylo,yhi,zlo,zhi,xmid,ymid,zmid;