diff --git a/src/ML-IAP/mliap_descriptor.cpp b/src/ML-IAP/mliap_descriptor.cpp
index 34f81c3902..b8acd6329e 100644
--- a/src/ML-IAP/mliap_descriptor.cpp
+++ b/src/ML-IAP/mliap_descriptor.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ MLIAPDescriptor::MLIAPDescriptor(LAMMPS *lmp) :
     cutghost(nullptr), radelem(nullptr), wjelem(nullptr)
 {
   cutmax = 0.0;
+  allocated_elements = 0;
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/ML-IAP/mliap_descriptor_ace.cpp b/src/ML-IAP/mliap_descriptor_ace.cpp
index aa30ac3f81..d815fb744c 100644
--- a/src/ML-IAP/mliap_descriptor_ace.cpp
+++ b/src/ML-IAP/mliap_descriptor_ace.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ MLIAPDescriptorACE::MLIAPDescriptorACE(LAMMPS *_lmp, char *yacefilename) :
 {
 
   acemlimpl = new ACE_ML_impl;
-  allocated_elements = 0;
   //read in file with CG coefficients or c_tilde coefficients
   ctilde_file = yacefilename;
   delete acemlimpl->basis_set;