diff --git a/src/MESSAGE/fix_client_md.cpp b/src/MESSAGE/fix_client_md.cpp
index b85c7f8f764797612f66cf426418ebc4fae3ba81..97d0436a27b2b597d4e53965a630b20051bd6bf3 100644
--- a/src/MESSAGE/fix_client_md.cpp
+++ b/src/MESSAGE/fix_client_md.cpp
@@ -64,13 +64,12 @@ FixClientMD::FixClientMD(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
 
   // unit conversion factors for REAL
   // otherwise not needed
+  // message received in METAL units, convert to local REAL units
 
   fconvert = econvert = vconvert = 1.0;
   if (units == REAL) {
-    // NOTE: still need to set these
-    fconvert = 1.0;
-    econvert = 1.0;
-    vconvert = 1.0;
+    fconvert = econvert = 23.06035;
+    vconvert = 0.986923;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/MESSAGE/server_md.cpp b/src/MESSAGE/server_md.cpp
index acdc06a0e92535584aa44da5deaa7bc88179f381..340431021b8a13fcaed7b79509c80ccea9d7f07f 100644
--- a/src/MESSAGE/server_md.cpp
+++ b/src/MESSAGE/server_md.cpp
@@ -55,13 +55,12 @@ ServerMD::ServerMD(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
 
   // unit conversion factors for REAL
   // otherwise not needed
+  // local computation in REAL units, send message in METAL units
 
   fconvert = econvert = vconvert = 1.0;
   if (units == REAL) {
-    // NOTE: still need to set these
-    fconvert = 1.0;
-    econvert = 1.0;
-    vconvert = 1.0;
+    fconvert = econvert = 1.0 / 23.06035;
+    vconvert = 1.0 / 0.986923;
   }
 
   fcopy = NULL;