diff --git a/src/read_data.cpp b/src/read_data.cpp
index ed7acf22ac..7fe63f1cc1 100644
--- a/src/read_data.cpp
+++ b/src/read_data.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@
    See the README file in the top-level LAMMPS directory.
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
+// lmptype.h must be first b/c this file uses MAXBIGINT and includes mpi.h
+// due to OpenMPI bug which sets INT64_MAX via its mpi.h
+//   before lmptype.h can set flags to insure it is done correctly
+
+#include "lmptype.h" 
 #include "mpi.h"
 #include "math.h"
 #include "string.h"
diff --git a/src/read_dump.cpp b/src/read_dump.cpp
index 14b208e994..45ff1f81bf 100644
--- a/src/read_dump.cpp
+++ b/src/read_dump.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@
    Contributing author: Timothy Sirk (ARL)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
+// lmptype.h must be first b/c this file uses MAXBIGINT and includes mpi.h
+// due to OpenMPI bug which sets INT64_MAX via its mpi.h
+//   before lmptype.h can set flags to insure it is done correctly
+
+#include "lmptype.h" 
 #include "mpi.h"
 #include "string.h"
 #include "stdlib.h"
diff --git a/src/thermo.cpp b/src/thermo.cpp
index 3656300f51..a1a42ed974 100644
--- a/src/thermo.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@
    See the README file in the top-level LAMMPS directory.
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
+// lmptype.h must be first b/c this file uses MAXBIGINT and includes mpi.h
+// due to OpenMPI bug which sets INT64_MAX via its mpi.h
+//   before lmptype.h can set flags to insure it is done correctly
+
+#include "lmptype.h" 
 #include "mpi.h"
 #include "math.h"
 #include "stdlib.h"