diff --git a/src/compute_grid.cpp b/src/compute_grid.cpp
index 7eee793023..52bd7d6307 100644
--- a/src/compute_grid.cpp
+++ b/src/compute_grid.cpp
@@ -60,13 +60,7 @@ ComputeGrid::ComputeGrid(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
 
 ComputeGrid::~ComputeGrid()
 {
-  memory->destroy(grid);
-  memory->destroy(gridall);
-  memory->destroy(local_flags);
-  if (gridlocal_allocated) {
-    gridlocal_allocated = 0;
-    memory->destroy4d_offset(gridlocal,nzlo,nylo,nxlo);
-  }
+  deallocate();
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -79,6 +73,7 @@ void ComputeGrid::init()
 
 void ComputeGrid::setup()
 {
+  deallocate();
   set_grid_global();
   set_grid_local();
   allocate();
@@ -195,21 +190,13 @@ void ComputeGrid::assign_local_flags()
 }
 
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   free and reallocate arrays
+   create arrays
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 void ComputeGrid::allocate()
 {
   // allocate arrays
 
-  memory->destroy(grid);
-  memory->destroy(gridall);
-  memory->destroy(local_flags);
-  if (gridlocal_allocated) {
-    gridlocal_allocated = 0;
-    memory->destroy4d_offset(gridlocal,nzlo,nylo,nxlo);
-  }
-
   memory->create(grid,size_array_rows,size_array_cols,"grid:grid");
   memory->create(gridall,size_array_rows,size_array_cols,"grid:gridall");
   memory->create(local_flags,size_array_rows,"grid:local_flags");
@@ -222,6 +209,23 @@ void ComputeGrid::allocate()
 }
 
 
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+   free arrays
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+void ComputeGrid::deallocate()
+{
+  memory->destroy(grid);
+  memory->destroy(gridall);
+  memory->destroy(local_flags);
+  if (gridlocal_allocated) {
+    gridlocal_allocated = 0;
+    memory->destroy4d_offset(gridlocal,nzlo,nylo,nxlo);
+  }
+  array = nullptr;
+}
+
+
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    set global grid
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/compute_grid.h b/src/compute_grid.h
index 1b2797732d..421656febf 100644
--- a/src/compute_grid.h
+++ b/src/compute_grid.h
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ class ComputeGrid : public Compute {
   int *local_flags;                    // local flag for each grid point
   int gridlocal_allocated;             // shows if gridlocal allocated
 
-  void allocate();
+  void allocate();                     // create arrays
+  void deallocate();                   // free arrays
   void grid2x(int, double*);           // convert grid point to coord
   void grid2ix(int, int&, int&, int&); // convert grid point to ix, iy, iz
   void assign_coords();                // assign coords for grid
diff --git a/src/compute_grid_local.cpp b/src/compute_grid_local.cpp
index dab9aa44d4..1b8de3c48a 100644
--- a/src/compute_grid_local.cpp
+++ b/src/compute_grid_local.cpp
@@ -59,11 +59,7 @@ ComputeGridLocal::ComputeGridLocal(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
 
 ComputeGridLocal::~ComputeGridLocal()
 {
-  if (gridlocal_allocated) {
-    gridlocal_allocated = 0;
-    memory->destroy4d_offset(gridlocal,nzlo,nylo,nxlo);
-  }
-  memory->destroy(alocal);
+  deallocate();
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -76,9 +72,11 @@ void ComputeGridLocal::init()
 
 void ComputeGridLocal::setup()
 {
+  deallocate();
   set_grid_global();
   set_grid_local();
   allocate();
+  assign_coords();
 }
 
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -95,25 +93,34 @@ void ComputeGridLocal::grid2x(int ix, int iy, int iz, double *x)
 }
 
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   free and reallocate arrays
+   create arrays
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 void ComputeGridLocal::allocate()
 {
-  // allocate local array
-
-  if (gridlocal_allocated) {
-    gridlocal_allocated = 0;
-    memory->destroy4d_offset(gridlocal,nzlo,nylo,nxlo);
-  }
-
   if (nxlo <= nxhi && nylo <= nyhi && nzlo <= nzhi) {
     gridlocal_allocated = 1;
     memory->create4d_offset(gridlocal,size_local_cols,nzlo,nzhi,nylo,nyhi,
 			    nxlo,nxhi,"grid:gridlocal");
+    memory->create(alocal, size_local_rows, size_local_cols, "compute/grid/local:alocal");
+    array_local = alocal;
   }
 }
 
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+   free arrays
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+void ComputeGridLocal::deallocate()
+{
+  if (gridlocal_allocated) {
+    gridlocal_allocated = 0;
+    memory->destroy4d_offset(gridlocal,nzlo,nylo,nxlo);
+    memory->destroy(alocal);
+  }
+  array_local = nullptr;
+}
+
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    set global grid
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -201,11 +208,14 @@ void ComputeGridLocal::set_grid_local()
 
   ngridlocal = (nxhi - nxlo + 1) * (nyhi - nylo + 1) * (nzhi - nzlo + 1);
   size_local_rows = ngridlocal;
+}
 
-  memory->destroy(alocal);
-  memory->create(alocal, size_local_rows, size_local_cols, "compute/grid/local:alocal");
-  array_local = alocal;
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+   copy coords to local array
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
+void ComputeGridLocal::assign_coords()
+{
   int igrid = 0;
   for (int iz = nzlo; iz <= nzhi; iz++)
     for (int iy = nylo; iy <= nyhi; iy++)
diff --git a/src/compute_grid_local.h b/src/compute_grid_local.h
index b6cd882b2e..6189e5b27d 100644
--- a/src/compute_grid_local.h
+++ b/src/compute_grid_local.h
@@ -46,10 +46,12 @@ class ComputeGridLocal : public Compute {
   int size_local_cols_base;            // number of columns used for coords, etc.
   int gridlocal_allocated;             // shows if gridlocal allocated
 
-  void allocate();
+  void allocate();                     // create arrays
+  void deallocate();                   // free arrays
   void grid2x(int, int, int, double*); // convert global indices to coordinates
   void set_grid_global();              // set global grid
   void set_grid_local();               // set bounds for local grid
+  void assign_coords();                // assign coords for grid
   void copy_gridlocal_to_local_array();// copy 4d gridlocal array to 2d local array
  private:
 };