diff --git a/source/lmp/pair_deepmd.h.in b/source/lmp/pair_deepmd.h.in
index 6c2373e114..9b7480272b 100644
--- a/source/lmp/pair_deepmd.h.in
+++ b/source/lmp/pair_deepmd.h.in
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+#ifndef LAMMPS_VERSION_NUMBER
+#error Please define LAMMPS_VERSION_NUMBER to yyyymmdd
+#endif
+
 #ifdef PAIR_CLASS
 
 PairStyle(deepmd,PairDeepMD)