diff --git a/src/pair.cpp b/src/pair.cpp
index 5d73a592e8bea96cfe4b16939cdde484a3ee1fa9..685280cfce8262952830306be1f225c3cc3c7f3f 100644
--- a/src/pair.cpp
+++ b/src/pair.cpp
@@ -1534,7 +1534,7 @@ void Pair::virial_fdotr_compute()
 
 void Pair::write_file(int narg, char **arg)
 {
-  if (narg < 8) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal pair_write command");
+  if (narg != 8 && narg != 10) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal pair_write command");
   if (single_enable == 0)
     error->all(FLERR,"Pair style does not support pair_write");