diff --git a/src/KOKKOS/atom_vec_kokkos.cpp b/src/KOKKOS/atom_vec_kokkos.cpp
index c934822c9cc..52d0b57d5b8 100644
--- a/src/KOKKOS/atom_vec_kokkos.cpp
+++ b/src/KOKKOS/atom_vec_kokkos.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ AtomVecKokkos::AtomVecKokkos(LAMMPS *lmp) : AtomVec(lmp)
   kokkosable = 1;
   buffer = nullptr;
   buffer_size = 0;
-  size_exchange = 0;
+  size_exchange = size_exchange_default = size_exchange_bonus = 0;
 
   datamask_grow = datamask_comm = datamask_comm_vel = datamask_reverse =
     datamask_border = datamask_border_vel = datamask_exchange =
diff --git a/src/KOKKOS/comm_kokkos.cpp b/src/KOKKOS/comm_kokkos.cpp
index e65986f9cc4..424751a7c35 100644
--- a/src/KOKKOS/comm_kokkos.cpp
+++ b/src/KOKKOS/comm_kokkos.cpp
@@ -1120,6 +1120,11 @@ void CommKokkos::exchange_device()
                                    k_exchange_sendlist,k_exchange_copylist,
                                    k_exchange_copylist_bonus,
                                    ExecutionSpaceFromDevice<DeviceType>::space);
+
+      // pack_exchange_kokkos may resize k_buf_send
+
+      buf_send = k_buf_send.view_host().data();
+
       atom->nlocal = nlocal;
       if (bonus_flag) atomKK->avecKK->set_status_nlocal_bonus(nlocal_bonus);
 
@@ -1695,7 +1700,6 @@ void CommKokkos::grow_send_kokkos(int n, int flag, ExecutionSpace space)
                         atomKK->avecKK->size_border + atomKK->avecKK->size_velocity);
     else
       k_buf_send.resize(maxsend_border,atomKK->avecKK->size_border);
-    buf_send = k_buf_send.view_host().data();
   } else {
     if (ghost_velocity)
       MemoryKokkos::realloc_kokkos(k_buf_send,"comm:k_buf_send",maxsend_border,
@@ -1703,8 +1707,8 @@ void CommKokkos::grow_send_kokkos(int n, int flag, ExecutionSpace space)
     else
       MemoryKokkos::realloc_kokkos(k_buf_send,"comm:k_buf_send",maxsend_border,
                         atomKK->avecKK->size_border);
-    buf_send = k_buf_send.view_host().data();
   }
+  buf_send = k_buf_send.view_host().data();
 }
 
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------