diff --git a/packages/ml/src/Comm/ml_comm.c b/packages/ml/src/Comm/ml_comm.c
index d9ad14a91c6c..7e52c54e8d57 100644
--- a/packages/ml/src/Comm/ml_comm.c
+++ b/packages/ml/src/Comm/ml_comm.c
@@ -21,6 +21,15 @@ ML_Comm *global_comm = NULL; /* should not be used to avoid side effect */
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 int ML_Comm_Create( ML_Comm ** com )
+{
+#ifdef ML_MPI
+  return ML_Comm_Create2(com, MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+#else
+  return ML_Comm_Create2(com, 0);
+#endif
+}
+
+int ML_Comm_Create2( ML_Comm ** com, USR_COMM in_comm )
 {
    ML_Comm *com_ptr;
 
@@ -36,13 +45,13 @@ int ML_Comm_Create( ML_Comm ** com )
    com_ptr->USR_cheapwaitbytes  = ML_Comm_CheapWait;
 
 #ifdef ML_MPI
-   MPI_Comm_size(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &(com_ptr->ML_nprocs));
-   MPI_Comm_rank(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &(com_ptr->ML_mypid));
+   MPI_Comm_size(in_comm, &(com_ptr->ML_nprocs));
+   MPI_Comm_rank(in_comm, &(com_ptr->ML_mypid));
    com_ptr->USR_sendbytes  = ML_Comm_Send;
    com_ptr->USR_irecvbytes = ML_Comm_Irecv;
    com_ptr->USR_waitbytes  = ML_Comm_Wait;
    com_ptr->USR_cheapwaitbytes  = ML_Comm_CheapWait;
-   com_ptr->USR_comm       = MPI_COMM_WORLD;
+   com_ptr->USR_comm       = in_comm;
 #ifdef ML_CATCH_MPI_ERRORS_IN_DEBUGGER
    /* register the error handling function */
    ML_Comm_ErrorHandlerCreate((USR_ERRHANDLER_FUNCTION *) ML_Comm_ErrorHandler,
diff --git a/packages/ml/src/Comm/ml_comm.h b/packages/ml/src/Comm/ml_comm.h
index 24fdb63db783..a8d40cd6893a 100644
--- a/packages/ml/src/Comm/ml_comm.h
+++ b/packages/ml/src/Comm/ml_comm.h
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ extern "C"
 #endif
 
 extern int    ML_Comm_Create( ML_Comm ** comm );
+extern int    ML_Comm_Create2( ML_Comm ** comm, USR_COMM com );
 extern int    ML_Comm_Destroy( ML_Comm ** comm );
 extern int    ML_Comm_Check( ML_Comm *comm );
 
diff --git a/packages/ml/src/Main/ml_struct.c b/packages/ml/src/Main/ml_struct.c
index f81453cd0046..cf845e7b01ba 100755
--- a/packages/ml/src/Main/ml_struct.c
+++ b/packages/ml/src/Main/ml_struct.c
@@ -39,6 +39,15 @@ ML_PrintControl ML_PrintLevel = {0};
 
 int ml_defines_have_printed = 0;
 int ML_Create(ML **ml_ptr, int Nlevels)
+{
+#ifdef ML_MPI
+  return ML_Create2(ml_ptr, Nlevels, MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+#else
+  return ML_Create2(ml_ptr, Nlevels, 0);
+#endif
+}
+
+int ML_Create2(ML **ml_ptr, int Nlevels, USR_COMM in_comm)
 {
    int             i, length;
    double          *max_eigen;
@@ -77,7 +86,7 @@ int ML_Create(ML **ml_ptr, int Nlevels)
    (*ml_ptr)->repartitionStartLevel = -1;
    (*ml_ptr)->RAP_storage_type=ML_MSR_MATRIX;
 
-   ML_Comm_Create( &((*ml_ptr)->comm) );
+   ML_Comm_Create2( &((*ml_ptr)->comm), in_comm );
    if (global_comm == NULL)
      global_comm = (*ml_ptr)->comm;
 
diff --git a/packages/ml/src/Main/ml_struct.h b/packages/ml/src/Main/ml_struct.h
index 19e7f73edb16..b0b9ca350ea3 100755
--- a/packages/ml/src/Main/ml_struct.h
+++ b/packages/ml/src/Main/ml_struct.h
@@ -140,6 +140,13 @@ extern ML_PrintControl ML_PrintLevel;
 /* ******************************************************************** */
 /* ******************************************************************** */
 
+#ifdef ML_MPI
+#include "mpi.h"
+#define USR_COMM MPI_Comm
+#else
+#define USR_COMM int
+#endif
+
 #ifndef ML_CPP
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -147,6 +154,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 extern int ML_Create(ML **ml, int Nlevels);
+extern int ML_Create2(ML **ml, int Nlevels, USR_COMM comm);
 extern int ML_build_ggb( ML *ml, void *data);
 extern void ML_build_ggb_cheap(ML *ml, void *data);
 extern void ML_build_ggb_fat(ML *ml, void *data);