diff --git a/include/mesh/boundary_info.h b/include/mesh/boundary_info.h
index 0e7508fbc86..ca06ab661f6 100644
--- a/include/mesh/boundary_info.h
+++ b/include/mesh/boundary_info.h
@@ -874,6 +874,18 @@ class BoundaryInfo : public ParallelObject
   const std::multimap<const Elem *, std::pair<unsigned short int, boundary_id_type>> & get_sideset_map() const
   { return _boundary_side_id; }
 
+  /**
+   * \returns Whether or not there are some children on boundary sides
+   */
+  bool is_children_on_boundary_side() const
+  { return _children_on_boundary; }
+
+  /**
+   * Whether or not to allow set boundary sides on children elements
+   */
+  void allow_children_on_boundary_side(const bool children_on_boundary)
+  { _children_on_boundary = children_on_boundary; }
+
 private:
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/mesh/boundary_info.C b/src/mesh/boundary_info.C
index 8c38ff1ddd9..0e556bb1225 100644
--- a/src/mesh/boundary_info.C
+++ b/src/mesh/boundary_info.C
@@ -1366,8 +1366,8 @@ void BoundaryInfo::remove_edge (const Elem * elem,
 {
   libmesh_assert(elem);
 
-  // Only level 0 elements unless the flag "_children_on_boundary" is on.
-  libmesh_assert(elem->level()==0 || _children_on_boundary);
+  // Only level 0 elements are stored in BoundaryInfo.
+  libmesh_assert_equal_to (elem->level(), 0);
 
   // Erase (elem, edge, *) entries from map.
   erase_if(_boundary_edge_id, elem,
@@ -1383,8 +1383,8 @@ void BoundaryInfo::remove_edge (const Elem * elem,
 {
   libmesh_assert(elem);
 
-  // Only level 0 elements unless the flag "_children_on_boundary" is on.
-  libmesh_assert(elem->level() == 0 || _children_on_boundary);
+  // Only level 0 elements are stored in BoundaryInfo.
+  libmesh_assert_equal_to (elem->level(), 0);
 
   // Erase (elem, edge, id) entries from map.
   erase_if(_boundary_edge_id, elem,
@@ -1398,8 +1398,8 @@ void BoundaryInfo::remove_shellface (const Elem * elem,
 {
   libmesh_assert(elem);
 
-  // Only level 0 elements unless the flag "_children_on_boundary" is on.
-  libmesh_assert(elem->level() == 0 || _children_on_boundary);
+  // Only level 0 elements are stored in BoundaryInfo.
+  libmesh_assert_equal_to (elem->level(), 0);
 
   // Shells only have 2 faces
   libmesh_assert_less(shellface, 2);
@@ -1418,8 +1418,8 @@ void BoundaryInfo::remove_shellface (const Elem * elem,
 {
   libmesh_assert(elem);
 
-  // Only level 0 elements unless the flag "_children_on_boundary" is on.
-  libmesh_assert(elem->level() == 0 || _children_on_boundary);
+  // Only level 0 elements are stored in BoundaryInfo.
+  libmesh_assert_equal_to (elem->level(), 0);
 
   // Shells only have 2 faces
   libmesh_assert_less(shellface, 2);
@@ -1510,6 +1510,8 @@ unsigned int BoundaryInfo::side_with_boundary_id(const Elem * const elem,
   // parent if any
   if (elem->level() != 0)
     searched_elem_vec.push_back(elem->top_parent());
+  else if (!_children_on_boundary)
+    searched_elem_vec.push_back(elem);
 
   for (auto it = searched_elem_vec.begin(); it != searched_elem_vec.end(); ++it)
   {
@@ -1569,6 +1571,8 @@ BoundaryInfo::sides_with_boundary_id(const Elem * const elem,
   // Return boundary information of its parent as well
   if (elem->level() != 0)
     searched_elem_vec.push_back(elem->top_parent());
+  else if (!_children_on_boundary)
+    searched_elem_vec.push_back(elem);
 
   for (auto it = searched_elem_vec.begin(); it != searched_elem_vec.end(); ++it)
   {