diff --git a/src/GPU/fix_gpu.cpp b/src/GPU/fix_gpu.cpp
index c10af08d32..081eb3a3a2 100644
--- a/src/GPU/fix_gpu.cpp
+++ b/src/GPU/fix_gpu.cpp
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ FixGPU::FixGPU(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
   _gpu_mode = GPU_NEIGH;
   _particle_split = 1.0;
   int nthreads = 1;
+  int newtonflag = 0;
   int threads_per_atom = -1;
   double binsize = -1;
   char *opencl_flags = NULL;
@@ -113,6 +114,11 @@ FixGPU::FixGPU(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
       if (_particle_split == 0.0 || _particle_split > 1.0)
         error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package GPU command");
       iarg += 2;
+    } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"newton") == 0) {
+      if (iarg+2 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package gpu command");
+      if (strcmp(arg[iarg]+1,"off") == 0) newtonflag = 0;
+      else if (strcmp(arg[iarg]+1,"on") == 0) newtonflag = 1;
+      else error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package gpu command");
     } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"gpuID") == 0) {
       if (iarg+3 > narg) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package gpu command");
       first_gpu = force->inumeric(FLERR,arg[iarg+1]);
@@ -150,9 +156,12 @@ FixGPU::FixGPU(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
     error->all(FLERR,"No OpenMP support compiled in");
   #endif
 
-  // set newton_pair = 0 since required by all GPU pair styles
+  // set newton pair flag
+  // require newtonflag = 0 since currently required by all GPU pair styles
 
-  force->newton_pair = 0;
+  if (newtonflag == 1) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal package gpu command");
+
+  force->newton_pair = newtonflag;
   if (force->newton_pair || force->newton_bond) force->newton = 1;
   else force->newton = 0;