diff --git a/src/create_atoms.cpp b/src/create_atoms.cpp
index b8c2146d7b..578ce999f5 100644
--- a/src/create_atoms.cpp
+++ b/src/create_atoms.cpp
@@ -183,8 +183,6 @@ void CreateAtoms::command(int narg, char **arg)
                        "Only the first set will be used.");
       mode = MOLECULE;
       onemol = atom->molecules[imol];
-      if (atom->molecular == Atom::TEMPLATE && onemol != atom->avec->onemols[0])
-        error->all(FLERR, "create_atoms molecule template ID must be same as atom style template ID");
       molseed = utils::inumeric(FLERR, arg[iarg + 2], false, lmp);
       iarg += 3;
     } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg], "units") == 0) {
@@ -303,6 +301,8 @@ void CreateAtoms::command(int narg, char **arg)
       error->all(FLERR, "Invalid atom type in create_atoms mol command");
     if (onemol->tag_require && !atom->tag_enable)
       error->all(FLERR, "Create_atoms molecule has atom IDs, but system does not");
+    if (atom->molecular == Atom::TEMPLATE && onemol != atom->avec->onemols[0])
+      error->all(FLERR, "Create_atoms molecule template ID must be same as atom style template ID");
 
     onemol->check_attributes();