diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/Make/files b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/Make/files
index af92bf759c..81f5f36749 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/Make/files
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/Make/files
@@ -26,6 +26,6 @@ blockPoints.C
 blockCells.C
 blockBoundary.C
 
-genBlockMesh.C
+blockMeshApp.C
 
 EXE = $(FOAM_APPBIN)/blockMesh
diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/genBlockMesh.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/blockMeshApp.C
similarity index 77%
rename from applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/genBlockMesh.C
rename to applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/blockMeshApp.C
index c13d906392..fbfbaa289c 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/genBlockMesh.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/blockMeshApp.C
@@ -22,14 +22,35 @@ License
     along with OpenFOAM; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
     Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
 
+Application
+    blockMesh
+
 Description
     A multi-block mesh generator.
 
+    The @a constant/blockMeshDict (or @a constant/\<region\>/blockMeshDict)
+    is used.
+
+    For backwards compatibility, @a constant/polyMesh/blockMeshDict
+    (or @a constant/\<region\>/polyMesh/blockMeshDict) can also be used
+    if the previous search failed.
+
+Usage
+
+    - blockMesh [OPTION]
+
+    @param -blockTopology \n
+    Write the topology as a set of edges in OBJ format.
+
+    @param -region \<name\>\n
+    Specify an alternative mesh region
+
 \*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 #include "Time.H"
 #include "IOdictionary.H"
 #include "IOPtrList.H"
+#include "autoPtr.H"
 
 #include "blockMesh.H"
 #include "attachPolyTopoChanger.H"
@@ -60,47 +81,89 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     word regionName;
     fileName polyMeshDir;
+    fileName constantDir;
+    autoPtr<IOobject> meshDictPtr;
 
     if (args.options().found("region"))
     {
         regionName = args.options()["region"];
         polyMeshDir = regionName/polyMesh::meshSubDir;
+        constantDir = runTime.constant()/regionName;
 
         Info<< nl << "Generating mesh for region " << regionName << endl;
+
+        // try constant/<region>/blockMeshDict
+        meshDictPtr.reset
+        (
+            new IOobject
+            (
+                "blockMeshDict",
+                runTime.constant(),
+                regionName,
+                runTime,
+                IOobject::MUST_READ,
+                IOobject::NO_WRITE,
+                false
+            )
+        );
     }
     else
     {
         regionName = polyMesh::defaultRegion;
         polyMeshDir = polyMesh::meshSubDir;
+        constantDir = runTime.constant();
+
+        // try constant/blockMeshDict
+        meshDictPtr.reset
+        (
+            new IOobject
+            (
+                "blockMeshDict",
+                runTime.constant(),
+                runTime,
+                IOobject::MUST_READ,
+                IOobject::NO_WRITE,
+                false
+            )
+        );
     }
 
+    // not found, fallback to polyMesh directory
+    if (!meshDictPtr->headerOk())
+    {
+        meshDictPtr.reset
+        (
+            new IOobject
+            (
+                "blockMeshDict",
+                runTime.constant(),
+                polyMeshDir,
+                runTime,
+                IOobject::MUST_READ,
+                IOobject::NO_WRITE,
+                false
+            )
+        );
+    }
 
-    Info<< nl << "Reading block mesh description dictionary" << endl;
-
-    IOobject meshDescriptionIOobject
-    (
-        "blockMeshDict",
-        runTime.constant(),
-        polyMeshDir,
-        runTime,
-        IOobject::MUST_READ,
-        IOobject::NO_WRITE,
-        false
-    );
-
-    if (!meshDescriptionIOobject.headerOk())
+    if (!meshDictPtr->headerOk())
     {
         FatalErrorIn(args.executable())
             << "Cannot open mesh description file " << nl
-            << runTime.constant()/polyMeshDir/"blockMeshDict" << nl
+            << constantDir/"blockMeshDict" << nl
+            << "or "<< nl
+            << constantDir/polyMeshDir/polyMesh::meshSubDir/"blockMeshDict"
+            << nl
             << exit(FatalError);
     }
 
-    IOdictionary meshDescription(meshDescriptionIOobject);
+    Info<< nl << "Reading mesh description file" << endl;
+
+    IOdictionary blockMeshDict(meshDictPtr());
 
     Info<< nl << "Creating block mesh" << endl;
 
-    blockMesh blocks(meshDescription);
+    blockMesh blocks(blockMeshDict);
 
 
     if (writeTopo)
@@ -145,7 +208,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
 
-
     Info<< nl << "Creating mesh from block mesh" << endl;
 
     wordList patchNames = blocks.patchNames();
@@ -186,11 +248,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 
     // Read in a list of dictionaries for the merge patch pairs
-    if (meshDescription.found("mergePatchPairs"))
+    if (blockMeshDict.found("mergePatchPairs"))
     {
         List<Pair<word> > mergePatchPairs
         (
-            meshDescription.lookup("mergePatchPairs")
+            blockMeshDict.lookup("mergePatchPairs")
         );
 
         if (mergePatchPairs.size())
@@ -296,7 +358,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     // Set the precision of the points data to 10
     IOstream::defaultPrecision(10);
 
-    Info << nl << "Writing polyMesh" << endl;
+    Info<< nl << "Writing polyMesh" << endl;
     mesh.removeFiles(mesh.instance());
     if (!mesh.write())
     {