diff --git a/src/meshTools/triSurface/triSurfaceSearch/triSurfaceSearch.C b/src/meshTools/triSurface/triSurfaceSearch/triSurfaceSearch.C
index e826500f15..e4c4b9c14c 100644
--- a/src/meshTools/triSurface/triSurfaceSearch/triSurfaceSearch.C
+++ b/src/meshTools/triSurface/triSurfaceSearch/triSurfaceSearch.C
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
     \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
-     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2015 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2015-2017 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -175,7 +175,12 @@ Foam::triSurfaceSearch::triSurfaceSearch
     tolerance_(tolerance),
     maxTreeDepth_(maxTreeDepth),
     treePtr_(nullptr)
-{}
+{
+    if (tolerance_ < 0)
+    {
+        tolerance_ = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
+    }
+}
 
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Destructor  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
@@ -227,7 +232,7 @@ Foam::triSurfaceSearch::tree() const
             bb.max() += point(ROOTVSMALL, ROOTVSMALL, ROOTVSMALL);
         }
 
-        scalar oldTol = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
+        const scalar oldTol = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
         indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol() = tolerance_;
 
         treePtr_.reset
@@ -285,7 +290,7 @@ void Foam::triSurfaceSearch::findNearest
     List<pointIndexHit>& info
 ) const
 {
-    scalar oldTol = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
+    const scalar oldTol = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
     indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol() = tolerance();
 
     const indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>& octree = tree();
@@ -332,7 +337,7 @@ void Foam::triSurfaceSearch::findLine
 
     info.setSize(start.size());
 
-    scalar oldTol = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
+    const scalar oldTol = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
     indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol() = tolerance();
 
     forAll(start, i)
@@ -355,7 +360,7 @@ void Foam::triSurfaceSearch::findLineAny
 
     info.setSize(start.size());
 
-    scalar oldTol = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
+    const scalar oldTol = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
     indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol() = tolerance();
 
     forAll(start, i)
@@ -378,7 +383,7 @@ void Foam::triSurfaceSearch::findLineAll
 
     info.setSize(start.size());
 
-    scalar oldTol = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
+    const scalar oldTol = indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol();
     indexedOctree<treeDataTriSurface>::perturbTol() = tolerance();
 
     // Work array
diff --git a/src/meshTools/triSurface/triSurfaceSearch/triSurfaceSearch.H b/src/meshTools/triSurface/triSurfaceSearch/triSurfaceSearch.H
index 1debfc8ff6..b46e758985 100644
--- a/src/meshTools/triSurface/triSurfaceSearch/triSurfaceSearch.H
+++ b/src/meshTools/triSurface/triSurfaceSearch/triSurfaceSearch.H
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
     \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
-     \\/     M anipulation  |
+     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2017 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ class triSurfaceSearch
         ) const;
 
         //- Disallow default bitwise copy construct
-        triSurfaceSearch(const triSurfaceSearch&);
+        triSurfaceSearch(const triSurfaceSearch&) = delete;
 
         //- Disallow default bitwise assignment
-        void operator=(const triSurfaceSearch&);
+        void operator=(const triSurfaceSearch&) = delete;
 
 
 public:
@@ -96,17 +96,18 @@ public:
     // Constructors
 
         //- Construct from surface. Holds reference to surface!
-        explicit triSurfaceSearch(const triSurface&);
+        explicit triSurfaceSearch(const triSurface& surface);
 
         //- Construct from surface and dictionary.
-        triSurfaceSearch(const triSurface&, const dictionary& dict);
+        triSurfaceSearch(const triSurface& surface, const dictionary& dict);
 
-        //- Construct from components
+        //- Construct from components.
+        //  A invalid (negative) tolerance uses the default tolerance.
         triSurfaceSearch
         (
             const triSurface& surface,
             const scalar tolerance,
-            const label maxTreeDepth
+            const label maxTreeDepth = 10
         );
 
 
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ public:
         //  - hit()      : whether nearest point found within bounding box
         //  - hitPoint() : coordinate of nearest point
         //  - index()    : surface triangle label
-        pointIndexHit nearest(const point&, const vector& span) const;
+        pointIndexHit nearest(const point& pt, const vector& span) const;
 
         void findLine
         (