diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/meshShapes/triFace/triFace.H b/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/meshShapes/triFace/triFace.H
index 6528d7350e..21ac6065b6 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/meshShapes/triFace/triFace.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/meshShapes/triFace/triFace.H
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ public:
         inline point centre(const pointField&) const;
 
         //- Area, optionally return centre point as well
-        inline point area
+        inline vector area
         (
             const pointField&,
             point& centrePt = *reinterpret_cast<point*>(0)
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/meshShapes/triFace/triFaceI.H b/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/meshShapes/triFace/triFaceI.H
index 58274f36c7..501a6fe1cd 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/meshShapes/triFace/triFaceI.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/meshes/meshShapes/triFace/triFaceI.H
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ inline Foam::point Foam::triFace::centre(const pointField& points) const
 }
 
 
-inline Foam::point Foam::triFace::area
+inline Foam::vector Foam::triFace::area
 (
     const pointField& points,
     point& centrePt
@@ -183,15 +183,7 @@ inline Foam::point Foam::triFace::area
         centrePt = this->centre(points);
     }
 
-    return
-    (
-        0.5
-      *
-        (
-            (points[operator[](1)] - points[operator[](0)])
-          ^ (points[operator[](2)] - points[operator[](0)])
-        )
-    );
+    return this->normal(points);
 }