diff --git a/src/MC/fix_neighbor_swap.cpp b/src/MC/fix_neighbor_swap.cpp
index 267313cd35..0fedfc460e 100644
--- a/src/MC/fix_neighbor_swap.cpp
+++ b/src/MC/fix_neighbor_swap.cpp
@@ -413,10 +413,6 @@ int FixNeighborSwap::attempt_swap()
   // pick a random atom i
 
   int i = pick_i_swap_atom();
-  if (i < 0) return 0;
-
-  // get global id and position of atom i
-  // get_global_i(i);
 
   // build nearest-neighbor list based on atom i
 
@@ -545,8 +541,9 @@ int FixNeighborSwap::pick_i_swap_atom()
     i = local_swap_iatom_list[iwhichlocal];
     MPI_Allreduce(&id[i], &id_center, 1, MPI_INT, MPI_MAX, world);
   } else {
-    return -1;
+    id_center = -1;
   }
+  return i;
 }
 
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------