diff --git a/src/create_bonds.cpp b/src/create_bonds.cpp
index c6d3f1838e..5355ce2b7c 100644
--- a/src/create_bonds.cpp
+++ b/src/create_bonds.cpp
@@ -319,8 +319,6 @@ void CreateBonds::many()
 
 void CreateBonds::single_bond()
 {
-  int m;
-
   // check that 2 atoms exist
 
   const int nlocal = atom->nlocal;
@@ -341,7 +339,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_bond()
   int **bond_type = atom->bond_type;
   tagint **bond_atom = atom->bond_atom;
 
-  if ((m = idx1) >= 0) {
+  int m = idx1;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_bond[m] == atom->bond_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New bond exceeded bonds per atom in create_bonds");
     bond_type[m][num_bond[m]] = btype;
@@ -352,7 +351,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_bond()
 
   if (force->newton_bond) return;
 
-  if ((m = idx2) >= 0) {
+  m = idx2;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_bond[m] == atom->bond_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New bond exceeded bonds per atom in create_bonds");
     bond_type[m][num_bond[m]] = btype;
@@ -365,8 +365,6 @@ void CreateBonds::single_bond()
 
 void CreateBonds::single_angle()
 {
-  int m;
-
   // check that 3 atoms exist
 
   const int nlocal = atom->nlocal;
@@ -391,7 +389,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_angle()
   tagint **angle_atom2 = atom->angle_atom2;
   tagint **angle_atom3 = atom->angle_atom3;
 
-  if ((m = idx2) >= 0) {
+  int m = idx2;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_angle[m] == atom->angle_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New angle exceeded angles per atom in create_bonds");
     angle_type[m][num_angle[m]] = atype;
@@ -404,7 +403,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_angle()
 
   if (force->newton_bond) return;
 
-  if ((m = idx1) >= 0) {
+  m = idx1;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_angle[m] == atom->angle_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New angle exceeded angles per atom in create_bonds");
     angle_type[m][num_angle[m]] = atype;
@@ -414,7 +414,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_angle()
     num_angle[m]++;
   }
 
-  if ((m = idx3) >= 0) {
+  m = idx3;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_angle[m] == atom->angle_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New angle exceeded angles per atom in create_bonds");
     angle_type[m][num_angle[m]] = atype;
@@ -429,8 +430,6 @@ void CreateBonds::single_angle()
 
 void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
 {
-  int m;
-
   // check that 4 atoms exist
 
   const int nlocal = atom->nlocal;
@@ -458,7 +457,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
   tagint **dihedral_atom3 = atom->dihedral_atom3;
   tagint **dihedral_atom4 = atom->dihedral_atom4;
 
-  if ((m = idx2) >= 0) {
+  int m = idx2;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_dihedral[m] == atom->dihedral_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New dihedral exceeded dihedrals per atom in create_bonds");
     dihedral_type[m][num_dihedral[m]] = dtype;
@@ -472,7 +472,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
 
   if (force->newton_bond) return;
 
-  if ((m = idx1) >= 0) {
+  m = idx1;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_dihedral[m] == atom->dihedral_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New dihedral exceeded dihedrals per atom in create_bonds");
     dihedral_type[m][num_dihedral[m]] = dtype;
@@ -483,7 +484,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
     num_dihedral[m]++;
   }
 
-  if ((m = idx3) >= 0) {
+  m = idx3;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_dihedral[m] == atom->dihedral_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New dihedral exceeded dihedrals per atom in create_bonds");
     dihedral_type[m][num_dihedral[m]] = dtype;
@@ -494,7 +496,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
     num_dihedral[m]++;
   }
 
-  if ((m = idx4) >= 0) {
+  m = idx4;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_dihedral[m] == atom->dihedral_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New dihedral exceeded dihedrals per atom in create_bonds");
     dihedral_type[m][num_dihedral[m]] = dtype;
@@ -510,8 +513,6 @@ void CreateBonds::single_dihedral()
 
 void CreateBonds::single_improper()
 {
-  int m;
-
   // check that 4 atoms exist
 
   const int nlocal = atom->nlocal;
@@ -539,7 +540,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_improper()
   tagint **improper_atom3 = atom->improper_atom3;
   tagint **improper_atom4 = atom->improper_atom4;
 
-  if ((m = idx2) >= 0) {
+  int m = idx2;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_improper[m] == atom->improper_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New improper exceeded impropers per atom in create_bonds");
     improper_type[m][num_improper[m]] = dtype;
@@ -553,7 +555,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_improper()
 
   if (force->newton_bond) return;
 
-  if ((m = idx1) >= 0) {
+  m = idx1;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_improper[m] == atom->improper_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New improper exceeded impropers per atom in create_bonds");
     improper_type[m][num_improper[m]] = dtype;
@@ -564,7 +567,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_improper()
     num_improper[m]++;
   }
 
-  if ((m = idx3) >= 0) {
+  m = idx3;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_improper[m] == atom->improper_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New improper exceeded impropers per atom in create_bonds");
     improper_type[m][num_improper[m]] = dtype;
@@ -575,7 +579,8 @@ void CreateBonds::single_improper()
     num_improper[m]++;
   }
 
-  if ((m = idx4) >= 0) {
+  m = idx4;
+  if ((m >= 0) && (m < nlocal)) {
     if (num_improper[m] == atom->improper_per_atom)
       error->one(FLERR, "New improper exceeded impropers per atom in create_bonds");
     improper_type[m][num_improper[m]] = dtype;