diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3b84a0accf..a12050d8ea 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-build/
-release/
-debug/
+build*/
+release*/
+debug*/
 CMakeFiles/
 *.swp
 *~
@@ -9,4 +9,5 @@ CMakeFiles/
 .directory
 .settings/
 .DS_Store
-.vscode
\ No newline at end of file
+.vscode
+
diff --git a/src/patchkernel/volume_mapper.cpp b/src/patchkernel/volume_mapper.cpp
index 5178a1b77e..9e42a8f71f 100644
--- a/src/patchkernel/volume_mapper.cpp
+++ b/src/patchkernel/volume_mapper.cpp
@@ -117,6 +117,26 @@ void VolumeMapper::clearInverseMapping()
     m_inverseMapping.unsetKernel(false);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Get a constant point to the reference patch
+ *
+ * \return a constant pointer to the reference patch
+ */
+const bitpit::VolumeKernel *VolumeMapper::getReferencePatch() const
+{
+    return m_referencePatch;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get a constant point to the mapped patch
+ *
+ * \return a constant pointer to the mapped patch
+ */
+const bitpit::VolumeKernel *VolumeMapper::getMappedPatch() const
+{
+    return m_mappedPatch;
+}
+
 /**
  * Get direct mapping
  */
diff --git a/src/patchkernel/volume_mapper.hpp b/src/patchkernel/volume_mapper.hpp
index 05f2f5c1c2..a737533c1a 100644
--- a/src/patchkernel/volume_mapper.hpp
+++ b/src/patchkernel/volume_mapper.hpp
@@ -108,6 +108,9 @@ class VolumeMapper {
     void clearMapping();
     void clearInverseMapping();
 
+    const VolumeKernel *getReferencePatch() const;
+    const VolumeKernel *getMappedPatch() const;
+
     const bitpit::PiercedStorage<mapping::Info> & getMapping() const;
     const bitpit::PiercedStorage<mapping::Info> & getInverseMapping() const;
 
diff --git a/src/voloctree/voloctree_mapper.cpp b/src/voloctree/voloctree_mapper.cpp
index 6ea1ef829f..704b407076 100644
--- a/src/voloctree/voloctree_mapper.cpp
+++ b/src/voloctree/voloctree_mapper.cpp
@@ -1229,35 +1229,54 @@ bool VolOctreeMapper::_recoverPartition()
     clearPartitionMappingLists();
 
     // Locally the mapped mesh build the lists of octants to send
-    std::map<int, std::vector<Octant>> list_octant;
+    std::map<int, std::vector<const Octant*>> list_octant;
     std::map<int, std::vector<long>> list_id;
     std::map<int, std::vector<long>> list_globalId;
-    uint32_t idx = 0;
-    uint64_t morton = mappedPatch->getTree().getLastDescMorton(idx);
-    for (int reference_rank : toreference_rank[m_rank]) {
-        uint64_t reference_first_morton = partitionFDReference[reference_rank];
-        uint64_t reference_last_morton = partitionLDReference[reference_rank];
-        while (morton < reference_first_morton) {
-            idx++;
-            if (idx == mappedPatch->getTree().getNumOctants()) {
+
+    // Initialize idx position in mapped tree to the first mapped
+    // octant inside the overlapping region
+    std::vector<int>::iterator overlap_ref_rank_begin_it = toreference_rank[m_rank].begin();
+    std::vector<int>::iterator overlap_ref_rank_end_it = toreference_rank[m_rank].end();
+    if (overlap_ref_rank_begin_it != overlap_ref_rank_end_it) {
+        uint32_t first_overlap_map_idx = 0;
+        int first_overlap_ref_rank = *overlap_ref_rank_begin_it;
+        uint64_t reference_first_morton = partitionFDReference[first_overlap_ref_rank];
+        uint64_t first_overlap_map_morton = mappedPatch->getTree().getLastDescMorton(first_overlap_map_idx);
+        while (first_overlap_map_morton < reference_first_morton) {
+            first_overlap_map_idx++;
+            if (first_overlap_map_idx == mappedPatch->getTree().getNumOctants()) {
                 break;
             }
-            morton = mappedPatch->getTree().getLastDescMorton(idx);
+            first_overlap_map_morton = mappedPatch->getTree().getLastDescMorton(first_overlap_map_idx);
         }
-        while (morton < reference_last_morton) {
-            Octant oct = *mappedPatch->getTree().getOctant(idx);
-            list_octant[reference_rank].push_back(oct);
-            VolOctree::OctantInfo octantIfo(idx, true);
-            long id = mappedPatch->getOctantId(octantIfo);
-            list_id[reference_rank].push_back(id);
-            long globalId = mappedPatch->getTree().getGlobalIdx(idx);
-            list_globalId[reference_rank].push_back(globalId);
-            m_partitionIR.list_sent_octantIR.emplace_back(oct, id, globalId, reference_rank);
-            idx++;
-            if (idx == mappedPatch->getTree().getNumOctants()) {
-                break;
+
+        // Fill partitioning info structure with mapped octants in the
+        // overlapping region
+        if (first_overlap_map_idx < mappedPatch->getTree().getNumOctants() ) {
+            uint32_t idx = first_overlap_map_idx;
+            for (std::vector<int>::iterator ref_rank_it = overlap_ref_rank_begin_it; ref_rank_it != overlap_ref_rank_end_it; ++ref_rank_it) {
+                int reference_rank = *ref_rank_it;
+                uint64_t reference_last_morton = partitionLDReference[reference_rank];
+                uint64_t morton = mappedPatch->getTree().getMorton(idx);
+                while (morton < reference_last_morton) {
+                    const Octant *oct = mappedPatch->getTree().getOctant(idx);
+                    list_octant[reference_rank].push_back(oct);
+                    VolOctree::OctantInfo octantIfo(idx, true);
+                    long id = mappedPatch->getOctantId(octantIfo);
+                    list_id[reference_rank].push_back(id);
+                    long globalId = mappedPatch->getTree().getGlobalIdx(idx);
+                    list_globalId[reference_rank].push_back(globalId);
+                    m_partitionIR.list_sent_octantIR.emplace_back(*oct, id, globalId, reference_rank);
+                    idx++;
+                    if (idx == mappedPatch->getTree().getNumOctants()) {
+                        break;
+                    }
+                    morton = mappedPatch->getTree().getMorton(idx);
+                }
+                if (idx <= mappedPatch->getTree().getNumOctants() && idx > 0) {
+                    --idx;
+                }
             }
-            morton = mappedPatch->getTree().getMorton(idx);
         }
     }
 
@@ -1276,7 +1295,7 @@ bool VolOctreeMapper::_recoverPartition()
     //
     // TODO: make accessible global variables in ParaTree
     for (int reference_rank : toreference_rank[m_rank]) {
-        const std::vector<Octant> &rankOctants = list_octant[reference_rank];
+        const std::vector<const Octant*> &rankOctants = list_octant[reference_rank];
         std::size_t nRankOctants = rankOctants.size();
 
         // Set buffer size
@@ -1287,7 +1306,7 @@ bool VolOctreeMapper::_recoverPartition()
         SendBuffer &sendBuffer = octCommunicator.getSendBuffer(reference_rank);
         sendBuffer << nRankOctants;
         for (std::size_t n = 0; n < nRankOctants; ++n) {
-            const Octant &octant = rankOctants[n];
+            const Octant &octant = *rankOctants[n];
             sendBuffer << octant;
 
             long id = list_id[reference_rank][n];