diff --git a/src/KOKKOS/neighbor_kokkos.cpp b/src/KOKKOS/neighbor_kokkos.cpp
index 8f334415af25af5040439306c19fb5d640c5db98..4173d67900a47a976e4dcfce561e2f94736b7391 100644
--- a/src/KOKKOS/neighbor_kokkos.cpp
+++ b/src/KOKKOS/neighbor_kokkos.cpp
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ void NeighborKokkos::init_ex_mol_bit_kokkos()
 int NeighborKokkos::check_distance()
 {
   if (device_flag)
-    check_distance_kokkos<LMPDeviceType>();
+    return check_distance_kokkos<LMPDeviceType>();
   else
-    check_distance_kokkos<LMPHostType>();
+    return check_distance_kokkos<LMPHostType>();
 }
 
 template<class DeviceType>