diff --git a/applications/utilities/parallelProcessing/decomposeSets/decomposeSets.C b/applications/utilities/parallelProcessing/decomposeSets/decomposeSets.C
index 89dbe0398..497b1ba9f 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/parallelProcessing/decomposeSets/decomposeSets.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/parallelProcessing/decomposeSets/decomposeSets.C
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     // Add option to write empty sets
     argList::validOptions.insert("writeEmptySets", "");
+    argList::validOptions.insert("liveObjectsOnly", "");
 
 #   include "setRootCase.H"
 #   include "createTime.H"
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     Info<< "Time = " << runTime.timeName() << endl;
 
     bool writeEmptySets = args.optionFound("writeEmptySets");
+    bool liveObjectsOnly = args.optionFound("liveObjectsOnly");
 
     // Determine the processor count directly
     label nProcs = 0;
@@ -128,10 +130,18 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         {
             const labelList& addr = procMeshes.pointProcAddressing()[procI];
 
+            const label nProcPoints = procMeshes.meshes()[procI].nPoints();
+
             labelHashSet procSet;
 
             forAll (addr, pointI)
             {
+                // Skip list when nPoints is reached
+                if (liveObjectsOnly && pointI >= nProcPoints)
+                {
+                    break;
+                }
+
                 if (set.found(addr[pointI]))
                 {
                     procSet.insert(pointI);
@@ -143,14 +153,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 // Set created, write it
                 Info<< "Writing point set " << set.name()
                     << " on processor " << procI << endl;
-                pointSet cs
+                pointSet ps
                 (
                     procMeshes.meshes()[procI],
                     set.name(),
                     procSet,
                     IOobject::NO_WRITE
                 );
-                cs.write();
+                ps.write();
             }
         }
     }
@@ -172,10 +182,18 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         {
             const labelList& addr = procMeshes.faceProcAddressing()[procI];
 
+            const label nProcFaces = procMeshes.meshes()[procI].nFaces();
+
             labelHashSet procSet;
 
             forAll (addr, faceI)
             {
+                // Skip list when nPoints is reached
+                if (liveObjectsOnly && faceI >= nProcFaces)
+                {
+                    break;
+                }
+
                 // Note faceProcAddressing peculiarity:
                 // change of sign and offset.  HJ, 7/Mar/2011
                 if (set.found(mag(addr[faceI]) - 1))
@@ -189,14 +207,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 // Set created, write it
                 Info<< "Writing face set " << set.name()
                     << " on processor " << procI << endl;
-                faceSet cs
+                faceSet fs
                 (
                     procMeshes.meshes()[procI],
                     set.name(),
                     procSet,
                     IOobject::NO_WRITE
                 );
-                cs.write();
+                fs.write();
             }
         }
     }
@@ -218,6 +236,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         {
             const labelList& addr = procMeshes.cellProcAddressing()[procI];
 
+            // There are no retired cells: no special handling required
+
             labelHashSet procSet;
 
             forAll (addr, cellI)
diff --git a/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/cellSet.C b/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/cellSet.C
index c9e6cf36f..aad7c05cc 100644
--- a/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/cellSet.C
+++ b/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/cellSet.C
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ cellSet::cellSet
 :
     topoSet(mesh, typeName, name, r, w)
 {
-    // Make sure set within valid range
+    // Make sure set within valid range: there are no retired cells
     check(mesh.nCells());
 }
 
diff --git a/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/faceSet.C b/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/faceSet.C
index 8affe4ae3..f1ab86fc9 100644
--- a/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/faceSet.C
+++ b/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/faceSet.C
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ faceSet::faceSet
 :
     topoSet(mesh, typeName, name, r, w)
 {
-    check(mesh.nFaces());
+    // Sets can also contain retired faces.  HJ, 17/Aug/2015
+    check(mesh.allFaces().size());
 }
 
 
@@ -228,7 +229,7 @@ void faceSet::sync(const polyMesh& mesh)
 
 label faceSet::maxSize(const polyMesh& mesh) const
 {
-    return mesh.nFaces();
+    return mesh.allFaces().size();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/pointSet.C b/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/pointSet.C
index cdcd6d6c9..efd9bb677 100644
--- a/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/pointSet.C
+++ b/src/meshTools/sets/topoSets/pointSet.C
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ pointSet::pointSet
 :
     topoSet(mesh, typeName, name, r, w)
 {
-    check(mesh.nPoints());
+    // Sets can contain retired points.  HJ, 17/Aug/2015
+    check(mesh.allPoints().size());
 }
 
 
@@ -147,7 +148,7 @@ void pointSet::sync(const polyMesh& mesh)
 
 label pointSet::maxSize(const polyMesh& mesh) const
 {
-    return mesh.nPoints();
+    return mesh.allPoints().size();
 }