diff --git a/test/test_grudge.py b/test/test_grudge.py
index 2a6da624d01de2bd6c09a20c56009230277b7138..16ce3f36f4eeb0e6977c4dfc84d32a70d64585fd 100644
--- a/test/test_grudge.py
+++ b/test/test_grudge.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import numpy.linalg as la
 
 from meshmode import _acf       # noqa: F401
 from meshmode.dof_array import flatten, thaw
+import meshmode.mesh.generation as mgen
 
 from pytools.obj_array import flat_obj_array, make_obj_array
 
@@ -1122,6 +1123,24 @@ def test_map_if(actx_factory):
     bind(discr, sym_if)(actx)
 
 
+def test_empty_boundary(actx_factory):
+    # https://github.com/inducer/grudge/issues/54
+
+    actx = actx_factory()
+
+    dim = 2
+    mesh = mgen.generate_regular_rect_mesh(
+            a=(-0.5,)*dim, b=(0.5,)*dim,
+            n=(8,)*dim, order=4)
+    discr = DGDiscretizationWithBoundaries(actx, mesh, order=4)
+    normal = bind(discr,
+            sym.normal(sym.BTAG_NONE, dim, dim=dim - 1))(actx)
+    from meshmode.dof_array import DOFArray
+    for component in normal:
+        assert isinstance(component, DOFArray)
+        assert len(component) == len(discr.discr_from_dd(sym.BTAG_NONE).groups)
+
+
 # You can test individual routines by typing
 # $ python test_grudge.py 'test_routine()'