diff --git a/src/balance.cpp b/src/balance.cpp
index c8bbead327..42463752f9 100644
--- a/src/balance.cpp
+++ b/src/balance.cpp
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ void Balance::command(int narg, char **arg)
   }
 
   if (style == SHIFT) {
-    const int blen = bstr.size() + 1;
+    const int blen = bstr.size();
     for (int i = 0; i < blen; i++) {
       if (bstr[i] != 'x' && bstr[i] != 'y' && bstr[i] != 'z')
         error->all(FLERR,"Balance shift string is invalid");
diff --git a/src/fix_balance.cpp b/src/fix_balance.cpp
index f405de28b7..23a56c0a9d 100644
--- a/src/fix_balance.cpp
+++ b/src/fix_balance.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ FixBalance::FixBalance(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
   // error checks
 
   if (lbstyle == SHIFT) {
-    const int blen = bstr.size() + 1;
+    const int blen = bstr.size();
     for (int i = 0; i < blen; i++) {
       if (bstr[i] != 'x' && bstr[i] != 'y' && bstr[i] != 'z')
         error->all(FLERR,"Fix balance shift string is invalid");