diff --git a/grudge/trace_pair.py b/grudge/trace_pair.py
index ef4ce8795..570729e81 100644
--- a/grudge/trace_pair.py
+++ b/grudge/trace_pair.py
@@ -876,10 +876,19 @@ def cross_rank_trace_pairs(
 
         local_bdry_data = project(dcoll, volume_dd, bdry_dd, ary)
 
-        remote_bdry_data_template = _replace_dof_arrays(
-            local_bdry_data,
+        from meshmode.array_context import tag_axes
+        from meshmode.transform_metadata import (
+            DiscretizationElementAxisTag,
+            DiscretizationDOFAxisTag)
+        remote_bdry_zeros = tag_axes(
             dcoll._inter_partition_connections[
-                remote_part_id, local_part_id].from_discr.zeros(actx))
+                remote_part_id, local_part_id].from_discr.zeros(actx),
+            actx, {
+                0: DiscretizationElementAxisTag(),
+                1: DiscretizationDOFAxisTag()})
+
+        remote_bdry_data_template = _replace_dof_arrays(
+            local_bdry_data, remote_bdry_zeros)
 
         rank_bdry_communicators.append(
             rbc_class(actx, dcoll,
@@ -996,15 +1005,19 @@ def get_remote_connected_partitions(local_vol_dd, remote_vol_dd):
                 self_bdry_data = project(
                     dcoll, self_vol_dd, self_bdry_dd, self_vol_data)
 
-                other_bdry_template_dd = other_vol_dd.trace(
-                    BTAG_PARTITION(self_part_id))
-                other_bdry_container_template = project(
-                    dcoll, other_vol_dd, other_bdry_template_dd,
-                    other_vol_data)
-                other_bdry_data_template = _replace_dof_arrays(
-                    other_bdry_container_template,
+                from meshmode.array_context import tag_axes
+                from meshmode.transform_metadata import (
+                    DiscretizationElementAxisTag,
+                    DiscretizationDOFAxisTag)
+                other_bdry_zeros = tag_axes(
                     dcoll._inter_partition_connections[
-                        other_part_id, self_part_id].from_discr.zeros(actx))
+                        other_part_id, self_part_id].from_discr.zeros(actx),
+                    actx, {
+                        0: DiscretizationElementAxisTag(),
+                        1: DiscretizationDOFAxisTag()})
+
+                other_bdry_data_template = _replace_dof_arrays(
+                    other_vol_data, other_bdry_zeros)
 
                 rbcs.append(
                     rbc_class(actx, dcoll,