diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/parallel/globalIndex/globalIndex.H b/src/OpenFOAM/parallel/globalIndex/globalIndex.H
index 213482ee99..4f84920416 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/parallel/globalIndex/globalIndex.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/parallel/globalIndex/globalIndex.H
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ public:
             const Type& localValue,
             List<Type>& allValues,      //! output field (master only)
             const int tag = UPstream::msgType(),
-            const UPstream::commsTypes = UPstream::commsTypes::scheduled
+            const UPstream::commsTypes = UPstream::commsTypes::nonBlocking
         );
 
         //- Collect data in processor order on master (== procIDs[0]).
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ public:
             const IndirectListBase<Type, Addr>& fld,
             List<Type>& allFld,         //! output field (master only)
             const int tag = UPstream::msgType(),
-            const UPstream::commsTypes = UPstream::commsTypes::scheduled
+            const UPstream::commsTypes = UPstream::commsTypes::nonBlocking
         );
 
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/parallel/globalIndex/globalIndexTemplates.C b/src/OpenFOAM/parallel/globalIndex/globalIndexTemplates.C
index e26a77265a..2029ea4f07 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/parallel/globalIndex/globalIndexTemplates.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/parallel/globalIndex/globalIndexTemplates.C
@@ -262,6 +262,24 @@ void Foam::globalIndex::gather
 {
     // low-level: no parRun guard
 
+    if (is_contiguous<Type>::value)
+    {
+        // Flatten list (locally) so that we can benefit from using direct
+        // read/write of contiguous data
+
+        gather
+        (
+            off,
+            comm,
+            procIDs,
+            List<Type>(fld),
+            allFld,
+            tag,
+            preferredCommsType
+        );
+        return;
+    }
+
     // Automatically change from nonBlocking to scheduled for
     // non-contiguous data.
     const UPstream::commsTypes commsType =