diff --git a/src/ML-POD/compute_podd_atom.cpp b/src/ML-POD/compute_podd_atom.cpp
index 4ab6e23393..c691b6b3f2 100644
--- a/src/ML-POD/compute_podd_atom.cpp
+++ b/src/ML-POD/compute_podd_atom.cpp
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ ComputePODDAtom::ComputePODDAtom(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
   pod = nullptr;
   elements = nullptr;
 
-  if (((((MAXBIGINT*3.0)*atom->natoms)*podptr->nClusters)*podptr->Mdesc) > (MAXSMALLINT*1.0))
-    error->all(FLERR, "Per-atom data too large");
+  if ((((3.0*atom->natoms)*podptr->nClusters)*podptr->Mdesc) > (MAXSMALLINT*1.0))
+      error->all(FLERR, "Too many atoms ({}_ for compute {}", atom->natoms, style);
   size_peratom_cols = 3 * atom->natoms * podptr->Mdesc * podptr->nClusters;
   peratom_flag = 1;
 }
@@ -110,8 +110,8 @@ void ComputePODDAtom::compute_peratom()
   if (atom->natoms > nmax) {
     memory->destroy(pod);
     nmax = atom->natoms;
-    if (((((MAXBIGINT*3.0)*atom->natoms)*podptr->nClusters)*podptr->Mdesc) > (MAXSMALLINT*1.0))
-      error->all(FLERR, "Per-atom data too large");
+    if ((((3.0*atom->natoms)*podptr->nClusters)*podptr->Mdesc) > (MAXSMALLINT*1.0))
+      error->all(FLERR, "Too many atoms ({}) for compute {}", atom->natoms, style);
     int numdesc = 3 * atom->natoms * podptr->Mdesc * podptr->nClusters;
     memory->create(pod, nmax, numdesc,"podd/atom:pod");
     array_atom = pod;