diff --git a/doc/src/Section_errors.txt b/doc/src/Section_errors.txt
index 2821f1ff5d..95482b06dc 100644
--- a/doc/src/Section_errors.txt
+++ b/doc/src/Section_errors.txt
@@ -803,6 +803,13 @@ lo value must be less than the hi value for all 3 dimensions. :dd
 The box command cannot be used after a read_data, read_restart, or
 create_box command. :dd
 
+{BUG: restartinfo=1 but no restart support in pair style} :dt
+
+The pair style has a bug, where it does not support reading
+and writing information to a restart file, but does not set
+the member variable restartinfo to 0 as required in that case. :dd
+
+
 {CPU neighbor lists must be used for ellipsoid/sphere mix.} :dt
 
 When using Gay-Berne or RE-squared pair styles with both ellipsoidal and
diff --git a/src/pair.cpp b/src/pair.cpp
index 73dbb9428e..538175b31d 100644
--- a/src/pair.cpp
+++ b/src/pair.cpp
@@ -698,6 +698,12 @@ void Pair::read_restart(FILE *)
   error->all(FLERR,"BUG: restartinfo=1 but no restart support in pair style");
 }
 
+/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+void Pair::write_restart(FILE *)
+{
+  error->all(FLERR,"BUG: restartinfo=1 but no restart support in pair style");
+}
+
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------
    register a callback to a compute, so it can compute and accumulate
    additional properties during the pair computation from within
diff --git a/src/pair.h b/src/pair.h
index 26488103a0..844bc0cdc7 100644
--- a/src/pair.h
+++ b/src/pair.h
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class Pair : protected Pointers {
   virtual void free_tables();
   virtual void free_disp_tables();
 
-  virtual void write_restart(FILE *) {}
+  virtual void write_restart(FILE *);
   virtual void read_restart(FILE *);
   virtual void write_restart_settings(FILE *) {}
   virtual void read_restart_settings(FILE *) {}
@@ -303,7 +303,9 @@ No kspace style is defined.
 
 E: BUG: restartinfo=1 but no restart support in pair style
 
-UNDOCUMENTED
+The pair style has a bug, where it does not support reading
+and writing information to a restart file, but does not set
+the member variable restartinfo to 0 as required in that case.
 
 E: Cannot yet use compute tally with Kokkos