diff --git a/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmoother.C b/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmoother.C
index 1f94c7582a..5c3d79a978 100644
--- a/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmoother.C
+++ b/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmoother.C
@@ -774,7 +774,8 @@ Foam::tmp<Foam::scalarField> Foam::motionSmoother::movePoints
             newPoints,
             minEqOp<point>(),           // combine op
             vector(GREAT,GREAT,GREAT),  // null
-            true                        // separation
+            true,                       // separation
+            1E-6*mesh_.bounds().mag()
         );
     }
 
@@ -925,7 +926,8 @@ bool Foam::motionSmoother::scaleMesh
                 totalDisplacement,
                 maxMagEqOp(),
                 vector::zero,   // null value
-                false           // separation
+                false,          // separation
+                1E-6*mesh_.bounds().mag()
             );
         }
 
diff --git a/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmoother.H b/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmoother.H
index f5df37e677..ee306dd3c9 100644
--- a/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmoother.H
+++ b/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmoother.H
@@ -208,7 +208,8 @@ class motionSmoother
             const Field<Type>&,
             const CombineOp& cop,
             const Type& zero,
-            const bool separation
+            const bool separation,
+            const scalar maxMag
         ) const;
 
         //- Assemble tensors for multi-patch constraints
diff --git a/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmootherTemplates.C b/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmootherTemplates.C
index aec66f951f..97d125318c 100644
--- a/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmootherTemplates.C
+++ b/src/dynamicMesh/motionSmoother/motionSmootherTemplates.C
@@ -293,6 +293,7 @@ void Foam::motionSmoother::testSyncField
     const CombineOp& cop,
     const Type& zero,
     const bool separation
+    const scalar maxMag
 ) const
 {
     if (debug)
@@ -315,6 +316,7 @@ void Foam::motionSmoother::testSyncField
     forAll(syncedFld, i)
     {
         if (syncedFld[i] != fld[i])
+        if (mag(syncedFld[i] - fld[i]) > maxMag)
         {
             FatalErrorIn
             (