diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/blockMeshApp.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/blockMeshApp.C
index de4fc8bce3..fbfbaa289c 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/blockMeshApp.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/blockMesh/blockMeshApp.C
@@ -28,12 +28,12 @@ Application
 Description
     A multi-block mesh generator.
 
-    A @a constant/polyMesh/blockMeshDict
-    (or @a constant/\<region\>/polyMesh/blockMeshDict) is used.
+    The @a constant/blockMeshDict (or @a constant/\<region\>/blockMeshDict)
+    is used.
 
-    For people who like to accidentally remove their entire
-    @a constant/polyMesh/, the path @a constant/blockMeshDict
-    (or @a constant/\<region\>/blockMeshDict) will also be checked.
+    For backwards compatibility, @a constant/polyMesh/blockMeshDict
+    (or @a constant/\<region\>/polyMesh/blockMeshDict) can also be used
+    if the previous search failed.
 
 Usage
 
@@ -86,83 +86,77 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     if (args.options().found("region"))
     {
-        regionName  = args.options()["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;
+        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
+            )
+        );
     }
 
-    // check constant/polyMesh or constant/polyMesh/<region>/
-    meshDictPtr.reset
-    (
-        new IOobject
+    // not found, fallback to polyMesh directory
+    if (!meshDictPtr->headerOk())
+    {
+        meshDictPtr.reset
         (
-            "blockMeshDict",
-            runTime.constant(),
-            polyMeshDir,
-            runTime,
-            IOobject::MUST_READ,
-            IOobject::NO_WRITE,
-            false
-        )
-    );
+            new IOobject
+            (
+                "blockMeshDict",
+                runTime.constant(),
+                polyMeshDir,
+                runTime,
+                IOobject::MUST_READ,
+                IOobject::NO_WRITE,
+                false
+            )
+        );
+    }
 
     if (!meshDictPtr->headerOk())
     {
-        // not found, failsafe checks
-        if (args.options().found("region"))
-        {
-            // try constant/<region>/blockMeshDict
-            meshDictPtr.reset
-            (
-                new IOobject
-                (
-                    "blockMeshDict",
-                    runTime.constant(),
-                    regionName,
-                    runTime,
-                    IOobject::MUST_READ,
-                    IOobject::NO_WRITE,
-                    false
-                )
-            );
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            // try constant/blockMeshDict
-            meshDictPtr.reset
-            (
-                new IOobject
-                (
-                    "blockMeshDict",
-                    runTime.constant(),
-                    runTime,
-                    IOobject::MUST_READ,
-                    IOobject::NO_WRITE,
-                    false
-                )
-            );
-        }
-
-        if (!meshDictPtr->headerOk())
-        {
-            FatalErrorIn(args.executable())
-                << "Cannot open mesh description file\n    "
-                << constantDir/polyMeshDir/"blockMeshDict"
-                << "\n    (or " << constantDir/"blockMeshDict" << ")" << nl
-                << nl
-                << exit(FatalError);
-        }
+        FatalErrorIn(args.executable())
+            << "Cannot open mesh description file " << nl
+            << constantDir/"blockMeshDict" << nl
+            << "or "<< nl
+            << constantDir/polyMeshDir/polyMesh::meshSubDir/"blockMeshDict"
+            << nl
+            << exit(FatalError);
     }
 
-
     Info<< nl << "Reading mesh description file" << endl;
 
     IOdictionary blockMeshDict(meshDictPtr());