diff --git a/.git-blame-ignore-revs b/.git-blame-ignore-revs
index 8f35bd9366..84be8e384a 100644
--- a/.git-blame-ignore-revs
+++ b/.git-blame-ignore-revs
@@ -11,5 +11,6 @@ a71cad2dd6ace5741a754e2ca7daacd4bb094e0e
 2c2402ed59c91164eaff46dee0f79386b7347e9e
 05b7c571544c3bcb153fce67d12b9ac48947fc2d
 c8f38049359170a34c915e209276238ea66b9a1e
+8d5cb39e03c2644715a50684f8cd0318b4e82676
 ec69e8838be2dde140a915e50506f8e1ce3cb534
 f2bc0488a298f136294c523bc5ab4086d090059b
diff --git a/src/mesh/impls/bout/boutmesh.cxx b/src/mesh/impls/bout/boutmesh.cxx
index 4aaa760c04..d0bdcf33d8 100644
--- a/src/mesh/impls/bout/boutmesh.cxx
+++ b/src/mesh/impls/bout/boutmesh.cxx
@@ -485,8 +485,19 @@ int BoutMesh::load() {
   }
   ASSERT0(MXG >= 0);
 
-  if (Mesh::get(MYG, "MYG") != 0) {
-    MYG = options["MYG"].doc("Number of guard cells on each side in Y").withDefault(2);
+  const bool meshHasMyg = Mesh::get(MYG, "MYG") == 0;
+  if (!meshHasMyg) {
+    MYG = 2;
+  }
+  int meshMyg = MYG;
+
+  if (options.isSet("MYG") or (!meshHasMyg)) {
+    MYG = options["MYG"].doc("Number of guard cells on each side in Y").withDefault(MYG);
+  }
+  if (meshHasMyg && MYG != meshMyg) {
+    output_warn.write(_("Options changed the number of y-guard cells. Grid has {} but "
+                        "option specified {}! Continuing with {}"),
+                      meshMyg, MYG, MYG);
   }
   ASSERT0(MYG >= 0);
 
diff --git a/tests/integrated/test-boutpp/collect/input/BOUT.inp b/tests/integrated/test-boutpp/collect/input/BOUT.inp
index d5ca4c4d71..519faa0403 100644
--- a/tests/integrated/test-boutpp/collect/input/BOUT.inp
+++ b/tests/integrated/test-boutpp/collect/input/BOUT.inp
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-
-MXG = 2
-MYG = 2
-
 [mesh]
 staggergrids = true
 n = 1
diff --git a/tests/integrated/test-boutpp/mms-ddz/data/BOUT.inp b/tests/integrated/test-boutpp/mms-ddz/data/BOUT.inp
index d5ca4c4d71..519faa0403 100644
--- a/tests/integrated/test-boutpp/mms-ddz/data/BOUT.inp
+++ b/tests/integrated/test-boutpp/mms-ddz/data/BOUT.inp
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-
-MXG = 2
-MYG = 2
-
 [mesh]
 staggergrids = true
 n = 1