diff --git a/src/balance.cpp b/src/balance.cpp
index 47e7c0969b15f6917475af5020879ed0220dbb66..c184a72d3278807cccc25d110bd813f4a810bd1b 100644
--- a/src/balance.cpp
+++ b/src/balance.cpp
@@ -936,7 +936,7 @@ int Balance::shift()
     // stop at this point in bstr if imbalance factor < threshold
     // this is a true 3d test of particle count per processor
 
-    double imbfactor = imbalance_splits(max);
+    double imbfactor = imbalance_splits();
     if (imbfactor <= stopthresh) break;
   }
 
@@ -1047,11 +1047,10 @@ int Balance::adjust(int n, double *split)
    calculate imbalance based on processor splits in 3 dims
    atoms must be in lamda coords (0-1) before called
    map particles to 3d grid of procs
-   return maxcost = max load per proc
    return imbalance factor = max load per proc / ave load per proc
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-double Balance::imbalance_splits(int &maxcost)
+double Balance::imbalance_splits()
 {
   double *xsplit = comm->xsplit;
   double *ysplit = comm->ysplit;
@@ -1088,7 +1087,7 @@ double Balance::imbalance_splits(int &maxcost)
 
   MPI_Allreduce(proccost,allproccost,nprocs,MPI_DOUBLE,MPI_SUM,world);
 
-  maxcost = 0.0;
+  double maxcost = 0.0;
   double totalcost = 0.0;
   for (int i = 0; i < nprocs; i++) {
     maxcost = MAX(maxcost,allproccost[i]);
diff --git a/src/balance.h b/src/balance.h
index 0f2f79bb151cc755755988af2490239ae5ea8aad..43e8851ad9a155fb77f299bd55cebf02070d5718 100644
--- a/src/balance.h
+++ b/src/balance.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class Balance : protected Pointers {
   FILE *fp;                  // balance output file
   int firststep;
 
-  double imbalance_splits(int &);
+  double imbalance_splits();
   void shift_setup_static(char *);
   void tally(int, int, double *);
   int adjust(int, double *);