diff --git a/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/AdaptMesh/MeshComm.cpp b/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/AdaptMesh/MeshComm.cpp
index 4fc2ad6f6..d52259080 100644
--- a/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/AdaptMesh/MeshComm.cpp
+++ b/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/AdaptMesh/MeshComm.cpp
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ E_Int *map_cell_graph(Mesh *M, E_Int *cwgts)
 
     E_Int *cmap = IntArray(M->nc);
 
-    if (M->pid == 0) puts("Partitionning graph...");
+    if (M->pid == 0) puts("Partitioning graph...");
 
     ret = SCOTCH_dgraphPart(&graph, M->npc, &strat, cmap);
     if (ret != 0) {
@@ -191,6 +191,16 @@ struct xyz {
 static
 E_Int Mesh_redistribute(Mesh *M, E_Int *cmap)
 {
+    if (M->pid == 0) puts("Verifying mesh integrity...");
+
+    Mesh_set_orientation(M);
+
+    if (M->pid == 0) {
+        puts("Mesh integrity OK");
+        fflush(stdout);
+    }
+
+
     // Allocate contiguous count arrays
 
     E_Int count_size = M->npc;
@@ -1507,4 +1517,4 @@ E_Int Mesh_load_balance(Mesh *M)
     MPI_Allreduce(&M->nf, &gnf, 1, XMPI_INT, MPI_SUM, MPI_COMM_WORLD); 
 
     return gret;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/common/mem.cpp b/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/common/mem.cpp
index b6ff78614..a52017271 100644
--- a/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/common/mem.cpp
+++ b/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/common/mem.cpp
@@ -18,31 +18,36 @@
 */
 #include "mem.h"
 
-void *xmalloc(size_t nbytes, const char *file, E_Int line)
+void *xmalloc(E_Int nbytes, const char *file, E_Int line)
 {
-  assert(nbytes >= 0);
-  void *ptr = malloc(nbytes);
-  if (ptr == NULL && nbytes > 0) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "\n    Failed to allocate %.2f MB in file %s, line " SF_D_ "\n\n",
-      nbytes/1000000., file, line);
-    assert(0);
-    //abort();
-  }
-  return ptr;
+    if (nbytes < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "trying to allocate a negative amount (%.2f) of bytes in file %s:%d\n",
+            nbytes/1000000.f, file, line);
+        abort();
+    }
+    void *ptr = malloc(nbytes);
+    if (ptr == NULL && nbytes > 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "\n    Failed to allocate %.2f MB in file %s, line " SF_D_ "\n\n",
+            nbytes/1000000., file, line);
+        abort();
+    }
+    return ptr;
 }
 
-void *xcalloc(size_t count, size_t size, const char *file, E_Int line)
+void *xcalloc(E_Int count, E_Int size, const char *file, E_Int line)
 {
-  assert(count >= 0);
-  assert(size >= 0);
-  void *ptr = calloc(count, size);
-  if (ptr == NULL && size > 0) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "\n    Failed to allocate %.2f MB in file %s, line " SF_D_ "\n\n",
-      count*size/1000000., file, line);
-    assert(0);
-    //abort();
-  }
-  return ptr;
+    if (count < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "xcalloc: count (%d) is negative in file %s:%d\n", count, file, line);
+        abort();
+    }
+
+    void *ptr = calloc(count, size);
+    if (ptr == NULL && size > 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "\n    Failed to allocate %.2f MB in file %s, line " SF_D_ "\n\n",
+            count*size/1000000., file, line);
+        abort();
+    }
+    return ptr;
 }
 
 void xfree(void *ptr, const char *file, E_Int line)
@@ -53,16 +58,20 @@ void xfree(void *ptr, const char *file, E_Int line)
   }
 }
 
-void *xresize(void *ptr, size_t nbytes, const char *file, E_Int line)
+void *xresize(void *ptr, E_Int nbytes, const char *file, E_Int line)
 {
-  //assert(ptr);
-  assert(nbytes >= 0);
-  ptr = realloc(ptr, nbytes);
-  if (ptr == NULL && nbytes > 0) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "\n    Failed to allocate %.2f MB in file %s, line " SF_D_ "\n\n",
-      nbytes/1000000., file, line);
-    assert(0);
-    //abort();
-  }
-  return ptr;
+
+    if (nbytes < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "trying to resize to a negative amount (%.2f) of bytes in file %s:%d\n",
+            nbytes/1000000.f, file, line);
+        abort();
+    }
+
+    ptr = realloc(ptr, nbytes);
+    if (ptr == NULL && nbytes > 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "\n    Failed to allocate %.2f MB in file %s, line " SF_D_ "\n\n",
+            nbytes/1000000., file, line);
+        abort();
+    }
+    return ptr;
 }
diff --git a/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/common/mem.h b/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/common/mem.h
index 27c124eda..992af2fa4 100644
--- a/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/common/mem.h
+++ b/Cassiopee/XCore/XCore/common/mem.h
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@
 #define XRESIZE(ptr, nbytes) \
   xresize((ptr), (nbytes), __FILE__, __LINE__)
 
-void *xmalloc(size_t , const char *, E_Int);
-void *xcalloc(size_t, size_t, const char *, E_Int);
+void *xmalloc(E_Int, const char *, E_Int);
+void *xcalloc(E_Int, E_Int, const char *, E_Int);
 void xfree(void *, const char *, E_Int);
-void *xresize(void *, size_t, const char *, E_Int);
+void *xresize(void *, E_Int, const char *, E_Int);
 
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif