diff --git a/python/lammps/core.py b/python/lammps/core.py
index be026d5e10..279b0a64dc 100644
--- a/python/lammps/core.py
+++ b/python/lammps/core.py
@@ -746,12 +746,21 @@ class lammps(object):
     :type name:  string
     :param dtype: data type of the returned data (see :ref:`py_datatype_constants`)
     :type dtype:  int, optional
-    :return: value of the property or None
-    :rtype: int, float, or NoneType
+    :return: value of the property or list of values or None
+    :rtype: int, float, list, or NoneType
     """
+
     if dtype == LAMMPS_AUTODETECT:
       dtype = self.extract_global_datatype(name)
 
+    # set length of vector for items that are not a scalar
+    vec_dict = { 'boxlo':3, 'boxhi':3, 'sublo':3, 'subhi':3,
+                 'sublo_lambda':3, 'subhi_lambda':3, 'periodicity':3 }
+    if name in vec_dict:
+      veclen = vec_dict[name]
+    else:
+      veclen = 1
+
     if name: name = name.encode()
     else: return None
 
@@ -770,10 +779,14 @@ class lammps(object):
 
     ptr = self.lib.lammps_extract_global(self.lmp, name)
     if ptr:
-      return target_type(ptr[0])
+      if veclen > 1:
+        result = []
+        for i in range(0,veclen):
+          result.append(target_type(ptr[i]))
+        return result
+      else: return target_type(ptr[0])
     return None
 
-
   # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
   # extract per-atom info datatype
 
diff --git a/unittest/python/python-commands.py b/unittest/python/python-commands.py
index c82e2fdb26..c1e4cecef5 100644
--- a/unittest/python/python-commands.py
+++ b/unittest/python/python-commands.py
@@ -268,6 +268,15 @@ create_atoms 1 single &
         self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global("boxyhi"), 2.0)
         self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global("boxzlo"), -3.0)
         self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global("boxzhi"), 3.0)
+        self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global("boxlo"), [-1.0, -2.0, -3.0])
+        self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global("boxhi"), [1.0, 2.0, 3.0])
+        self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global("sublo"), [-1.0, -2.0, -3.0])
+        self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global("subhi"), [1.0, 2.0, 3.0])
+        self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global("periodicity"), [1,1,1])
+        # only valid for triclinic box
+        self.lmp.command("change_box all triclinic")
+        self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global("sublo_lambda"), [0.0, 0.0, 0.0])
+        self.assertEqual(self.lmp.extract_global("subhi_lambda"), [1.0, 1.0, 1.0])
 
 ##############################
 if __name__ == "__main__":