diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_bop.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_bop.cpp
index a934d5a1e8d154dbed92c0c94277178406e8d4f0..04d7cd41531a87dc4505a969dd14c69f9e974302 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_bop.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_bop.cpp
@@ -5031,15 +5031,16 @@ void PairBOP::read_table(char *filename)
         }
       }
     }
-    if(nws==3) {
+    if (nws==3) {
       sscanf(s,"%d %d %d",&nr,&ntheta,&nBOt);
       npower=2;
       if(ntheta<=10) npower=ntheta;
-    }
-    else {
+    } else if (nws==2) {
       sscanf(s,"%d %d",&nr,&nBOt);
       ntheta=0;
       npower=3;
+    } else {
+      error->one(FLERR,"Unsupported BOP potential file format");
     }
     fclose(fp);
     npairs=bop_types*(bop_types+1)/2;