diff --git a/src/MOLECULE/dihedral_charmm.cpp b/src/MOLECULE/dihedral_charmm.cpp
index ddbce407c90a00a01584f19805bbce54d84d712a..35953a6ac456185b8b87a49b5b7c5be772e2d3e5 100644
--- a/src/MOLECULE/dihedral_charmm.cpp
+++ b/src/MOLECULE/dihedral_charmm.cpp
@@ -380,14 +380,16 @@ void DihedralCharmm::init_style()
                  " r-RESPA level as 'outer'");
   }
 
-  if ((force->special_lj[3] != 0.0) || (force->special_coul[3] != 0.0))
-    error->all(FLERR,"Must use 'special_bonds charmm' with"
-               " dihedral style charmm");
-
   // insure use of CHARMM pair_style if any weight factors are non-zero
   // set local ptrs to LJ 14 arrays setup by Pair
+  // also verify that the correct 1-4 scaling is set
 
   if (weightflag) {
+
+    if ((force->special_lj[3] != 0.0) || (force->special_coul[3] != 0.0))
+      error->all(FLERR,"Must use 'special_bonds charmm' with"
+                 " dihedral style charmm for use with CHARMM pair styles");
+
     int itmp;
     if (force->pair == NULL)
       error->all(FLERR,"Dihedral charmm is incompatible with Pair style");
diff --git a/src/MOLECULE/dihedral_charmmfsw.cpp b/src/MOLECULE/dihedral_charmmfsw.cpp
index 4d78630f470a5840e5b6cd24949f74d78a8c3d77..feb3e02bd42135ca5ac82b416d0043431dc7b1b5 100644
--- a/src/MOLECULE/dihedral_charmmfsw.cpp
+++ b/src/MOLECULE/dihedral_charmmfsw.cpp
@@ -398,14 +398,16 @@ void DihedralCharmmfsw::init_style()
         " r-RESPA level as 'outer'");
   }
 
-  if ((force->special_lj[3] != 0.0) || (force->special_coul[3] != 0.0))
-    error->all(FLERR,"Must use 'special_bonds charmm' with"
-               " dihedral style charmmfsw");
-
   // insure use of CHARMM pair_style if any weight factors are non-zero
   // set local ptrs to LJ 14 arrays setup by Pair
+  // also verify that the correct 1-4 scaling is set
 
   if (weightflag) {
+
+    if ((force->special_lj[3] != 0.0) || (force->special_coul[3] != 0.0))
+      error->all(FLERR,"Must use 'special_bonds charmm' with"
+                 " dihedral style charmm for use with CHARMM pair styles");
+
     int itmp;
     if (force->pair == NULL)
       error->all(FLERR,"Dihedral charmmfsw is incompatible with Pair style");