diff --git a/applications/utilities/postProcessing/graphics/PVReaders/vtkPVFoam/vtkPVFoam.C b/applications/utilities/postProcessing/graphics/PVReaders/vtkPVFoam/vtkPVFoam.C
index d9c073c1ed..901759ee93 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/postProcessing/graphics/PVReaders/vtkPVFoam/vtkPVFoam.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/postProcessing/graphics/PVReaders/vtkPVFoam/vtkPVFoam.C
@@ -144,7 +144,11 @@ int Foam::vtkPVFoam::setTime(int nRequest, const double requestTimes[])
 
         if (meshPtr_)
         {
-            if (meshPtr_->readUpdate(false) != polyMesh::UNCHANGED)
+            if
+            (
+                meshPtr_->readUpdate(fvMesh::stitchType::nonGeometric)
+             != polyMesh::UNCHANGED
+            )
             {
                 meshChanged_ = true;
             }
@@ -474,7 +478,8 @@ void Foam::vtkPVFoam::updateFoamMesh()
                 dbPtr_(),
                 IOobject::MUST_READ
             ),
-            false
+            false,
+            fvMesh::stitchType::nonGeometric
         );
 
         meshChanged_ = true;
diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMesh.C b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMesh.C
index 1a000b46db..f69f6a81af 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMesh.C
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMesh.C
@@ -307,14 +307,14 @@ Foam::fvMesh::fvMesh
 (
     const IOobject& io,
     const bool changers,
-    const bool stitcher
+    const stitchType stitch
 )
 :
     polyMesh(io),
     surfaceInterpolation(*this),
     data(static_cast<const objectRegistry&>(*this)),
     boundary_(*this, boundaryMesh()),
-    stitcher_(nullptr),
+    stitcher_(fvMeshStitcher::New(*this, changers).ptr()),
     topoChanger_(nullptr),
     distributor_(nullptr),
     mover_(nullptr),
@@ -345,10 +345,9 @@ Foam::fvMesh::fvMesh
     }
 
     // Stitch or Re-stitch if necessary
-    if (stitcher)
+    if (stitch != stitchType::none)
     {
-        stitcher_.set(fvMeshStitcher::New(*this, changers).ptr());
-        stitcher_->connect(false, changers, true);
+        stitcher_->connect(false, stitch == stitchType::geometric, true);
     }
 
     // Construct changers
@@ -710,7 +709,10 @@ void Foam::fvMesh::reset(const fvMesh& newMesh)
 }
 
 
-Foam::polyMesh::readUpdateState Foam::fvMesh::readUpdate(const bool changers)
+Foam::polyMesh::readUpdateState Foam::fvMesh::readUpdate
+(
+    const stitchType stitch
+)
 {
     if (debug)
     {
@@ -719,9 +721,14 @@ Foam::polyMesh::readUpdateState Foam::fvMesh::readUpdate(const bool changers)
 
     polyMesh::readUpdateState state = polyMesh::readUpdate();
 
-    if (stitcher_.valid() && state != polyMesh::UNCHANGED)
+    if
+    (
+        stitcher_.valid()
+     && stitch != stitchType::none
+     && state != polyMesh::UNCHANGED
+    )
     {
-        stitcher_->disconnect(false, changers);
+        stitcher_->disconnect(false, stitch == stitchType::geometric);
     }
 
     if (state == polyMesh::TOPO_PATCH_CHANGE)
@@ -761,9 +768,14 @@ Foam::polyMesh::readUpdateState Foam::fvMesh::readUpdate(const bool changers)
         }
     }
 
-    if (stitcher_.valid() && state != polyMesh::UNCHANGED)
+    if
+    (
+        stitcher_.valid()
+     && stitch != stitchType::none
+     && state != polyMesh::UNCHANGED
+    )
     {
-        stitcher_->connect(false, changers, true);
+        stitcher_->connect(false, stitch == stitchType::geometric, true);
     }
 
     // If the mesh has been re-stitched with different geometry, then the
diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMesh.H b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMesh.H
index 95ba073b0c..34f1b04121 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMesh.H
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMesh.H
@@ -100,6 +100,26 @@ class fvMesh
     public surfaceInterpolation,
     public data
 {
+public:
+
+    // Public data types
+
+        //- Extent to which to stitch on read and readUpdate. By default, a
+        //  full geometric stitch is performed. A non-geometric stitch can be
+        //  done as an optimisation in situations when finite volume geometry
+        //  is not needed (e.g., decomposition). Stitching can also be
+        //  prevented altogether if that is appropriate (e.g., if the mesh is
+        //  loaded for mapping in an un-stitched state).
+        enum class stitchType
+        {
+            none,
+            nonGeometric,
+            geometric
+        };
+
+
+private:
+
     // Private Data
 
         //- Boundary mesh
@@ -274,12 +294,13 @@ public:
     // Constructors
 
         //- Construct from IOobject
-        //  with the option to not instantiate the mesh changers or stitcher
+        //  with the option to not instantiate the mesh changers and the option
+        //  to prevent some or all of the stitching
         explicit fvMesh
         (
             const IOobject& io,
             const bool changers = true,
-            const bool stitcher = true
+            const stitchType stitch = stitchType::geometric
         );
 
         //- Construct from cellShapes with boundary.
@@ -340,7 +361,10 @@ public:
 
             //- Update the mesh based on the mesh files saved in time
             //  directories
-            readUpdateState readUpdate(const bool changers = true);
+            readUpdateState readUpdate
+            (
+                const stitchType stitch = stitchType::geometric
+            );
 
 
         // Access
diff --git a/src/fvMeshTopoChangers/meshToMesh/fvMeshTopoChangersMeshToMesh.C b/src/fvMeshTopoChangers/meshToMesh/fvMeshTopoChangersMeshToMesh.C
index a9c04d1629..8645792e44 100644
--- a/src/fvMeshTopoChangers/meshToMesh/fvMeshTopoChangersMeshToMesh.C
+++ b/src/fvMeshTopoChangers/meshToMesh/fvMeshTopoChangersMeshToMesh.C
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ bool Foam::fvMeshTopoChangers::meshToMesh::update()
                 IOobject::MUST_READ
             ),
             false,
-            false
+            fvMesh::stitchType::none
         );
 
         autoPtr<Foam::meshToMesh> mapper;
diff --git a/src/parallel/parallel/domainDecomposition.C b/src/parallel/parallel/domainDecomposition.C
index 69a04d2b28..66f21fb5dd 100644
--- a/src/parallel/parallel/domainDecomposition.C
+++ b/src/parallel/parallel/domainDecomposition.C
@@ -679,10 +679,12 @@ Foam::fvMesh::readUpdateState Foam::domainDecomposition::readUpdate()
     validateProcs();
 
     // Do read-update on all meshes
-    fvMesh::readUpdateState stat = completeMesh_->readUpdate(false);
+    fvMesh::readUpdateState stat =
+        completeMesh_->readUpdate(fvMesh::stitchType::nonGeometric);
     forAll(runTimes_.procTimes(), proci)
     {
-        fvMesh::readUpdateState procStat = procMeshes_[proci].readUpdate(false);
+        fvMesh::readUpdateState procStat =
+            procMeshes_[proci].readUpdate(fvMesh::stitchType::nonGeometric);
         if (procStat > stat)
         {
             stat = procStat;