diff --git a/src/compute_hexorder_atom.cpp b/src/compute_hexorder_atom.cpp
index dcecf50d7f..c33e3a28e0 100644
--- a/src/compute_hexorder_atom.cpp
+++ b/src/compute_hexorder_atom.cpp
@@ -47,13 +47,13 @@ ComputeHexOrderAtom::ComputeHexOrderAtom(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
 
   int iarg = 3;
   while (iarg < narg) {
-    if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"degree") == 0) {
-      if (iarg+1 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal lattice command");
+    if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"n") == 0) {
+      if (iarg+1 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal compute hexorder/atom command");
       nnn = force->numeric(FLERR,arg[iarg+1]);
       if (nnn < 0)
-        error->all(FLERR,"Illegal lattice command");
+        error->all(FLERR,"Illegal compute hexorder/atom command");
       iarg += 2;
-    }
+    } else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal compute hexorder/atom command");
   }
 
   ncol = 2;