diff --git a/meshmode/distributed.py b/meshmode/distributed.py
index 529190b55e091b432298f442697e02c9b2786ddc..7ddaa8041725e7dede750955c3a5025ec0b835c4 100644
--- a/meshmode/distributed.py
+++ b/meshmode/distributed.py
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ TAG_SEND_BOUNDARY = TAG_BASE + 2
 __doc__ = """
 .. autoclass:: MPIMeshDistributor
 .. autoclass:: MPIBoundaryTransceiver
+
+.. autofunction:: get_partition_by_pymetis
+.. autofunction:: get_connected_partitions
 """
 
 
@@ -207,10 +210,31 @@ class MPIBoundaryCommSetupHelper(object):
 # }}}
 
 
-def get_connected_partitions(mesh):
+def get_partition_by_pymetis(mesh, num_parts, **kwargs):
+    """Return a mesh partition created by :mod:`pymetis`.
+
+    :arg mesh: A :class:`meshmode.mesh.Mesh` instance
+    :arg num_parts: the number of parts in the mesh partition
+    :arg kwargs: Passed unmodified to :func:`pymetis.part_graph`.
+    :returns: a :class:`numpy.ndarray` with one entry per element indicating
+        to which partition each element belongs, with entries between ``0`` and
+        ``num_parts-1``.
     """
-    :arg mesh: A :class:`Mesh`
-    Returns the set of partition numbers that are connected to `mesh`
+    from pymetis import part_graph
+    _, p = part_graph(num_parts,
+                      xadj=mesh.nodal_adjacency.neighbors_starts.tolist(),
+                      adjncy=mesh.nodal_adjacency.neighbors.tolist(),
+                      **kwargs)
+
+    return np.array(p)
+
+
+def get_connected_partitions(mesh):
+    """For a local mesh part in *mesh*, determine the set of numbers
+    of remote partitions to which this mesh piece is connected.
+
+    :arg mesh: A :class:`meshmode.mesh.Mesh` instance
+    :returns: the set of partition numbers that are connected to `mesh`
     """
     connected_parts = set()
     from meshmode.mesh import InterPartitionAdjacencyGroup
@@ -221,4 +245,5 @@ def get_connected_partitions(mesh):
                                         adj[None].neighbor_partitions[indices])
     return connected_parts
 
+
 # vim: foldmethod=marker
diff --git a/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py b/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py
index 8ff2981e9a50e89c409654f81d36d2e6d8de1d13..58f765c0a821434e28b169456483e9d7d3bbf7f2 100644
--- a/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py
+++ b/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py
@@ -1236,7 +1236,8 @@ def as_python(mesh, function_name="make_mesh"):
 
 # {{{ check_bc_coverage
 
-def check_bc_coverage(mesh, boundary_tags, incomplete_ok=False):
+def check_bc_coverage(mesh, boundary_tags, incomplete_ok=False,
+        true_boundary_only=True):
     """Verify boundary condition coverage.
 
     Given a list of boundary tags as *boundary_tags*, this function verifies
@@ -1247,6 +1248,7 @@ def check_bc_coverage(mesh, boundary_tags, incomplete_ok=False):
 
     :arg incomplete_ok: Do not report an error if some faces are not covered
       by the boundary conditions.
+    :arg true_boundary_only: only verify for faces tagged with :class:`BTAG_ALL`.
     """
 
     for igrp, fagrp_map in enumerate(mesh.facial_adjacency_groups):
@@ -1259,8 +1261,17 @@ def check_bc_coverage(mesh, boundary_tags, incomplete_ok=False):
 
         nb_el_bits = -nb_elements
 
+        # An array of flags for each face indicating whether we have encountered
+        # a boundary condition for that face.
         seen = np.zeros_like(nb_el_bits, dtype=np.bool)
 
+        if true_boundary_only:
+            tag_bit = mesh.boundary_tag_bit(BTAG_ALL)
+            tag_set = (nb_el_bits & tag_bit) != 0
+
+            # Consider non-boundary faces 'seen'
+            seen = seen | ~tag_set
+
         for btag in boundary_tags:
             tag_bit = mesh.boundary_tag_bit(btag)
             tag_set = (nb_el_bits & tag_bit) != 0