diff --git a/base/comm/psb_cspgather.F90 b/base/comm/psb_cspgather.F90
index be1ddbe0..c4ea2728 100644
--- a/base/comm/psb_cspgather.F90
+++ b/base/comm/psb_cspgather.F90
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ subroutine  psb_csp_allgather(globa, loca, desc_a, info, root, dupl,keepnum,keep
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: err_act, dupl_, nrg, ncg, nzg
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: ip,naggrm1,naggrp1, i, j, k, nzl
   logical :: keepnum_, keeploc_
-  integer(psb_mpik_) :: ictxt,np,me
+  integer(psb_mpik_) :: ictxt,np,me, root_
   integer(psb_mpik_) :: icomm, minfo, ndx
   integer(psb_mpik_), allocatable :: nzbr(:), idisp(:)
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: ierr(5)
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ subroutine  psb_csp_allgather(globa, loca, desc_a, info, root, dupl,keepnum,keep
   else
     p_desc_c => desc_a
   end if
+  if (present(root)) then
+    root_ = root
+  else
+    root_ = -1 
+  end if
     
   call globa%free()
 
diff --git a/base/comm/psb_dspgather.F90 b/base/comm/psb_dspgather.F90
index 59d0d080..f928d822 100644
--- a/base/comm/psb_dspgather.F90
+++ b/base/comm/psb_dspgather.F90
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ subroutine  psb_dsp_allgather(globa, loca, desc_a, info, root, dupl,keepnum,keep
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: err_act, dupl_, nrg, ncg, nzg
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: ip,naggrm1,naggrp1, i, j, k, nzl
   logical :: keepnum_, keeploc_
-  integer(psb_mpik_) :: ictxt,np,me
+  integer(psb_mpik_) :: ictxt,np,me, root_
   integer(psb_mpik_) :: icomm, minfo, ndx
   integer(psb_mpik_), allocatable :: nzbr(:), idisp(:)
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: ierr(5)
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ subroutine  psb_dsp_allgather(globa, loca, desc_a, info, root, dupl,keepnum,keep
   else
     p_desc_c => desc_a
   end if
+  if (present(root)) then
+    root_ = root
+  else
+    root_ = -1 
+  end if
     
   call globa%free()
 
diff --git a/base/comm/psb_sspgather.F90 b/base/comm/psb_sspgather.F90
index b974a2e7..e09eb26b 100644
--- a/base/comm/psb_sspgather.F90
+++ b/base/comm/psb_sspgather.F90
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ subroutine  psb_ssp_allgather(globa, loca, desc_a, info, root, dupl,keepnum,keep
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: err_act, dupl_, nrg, ncg, nzg
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: ip,naggrm1,naggrp1, i, j, k, nzl
   logical :: keepnum_, keeploc_
-  integer(psb_mpik_) :: ictxt,np,me
+  integer(psb_mpik_) :: ictxt,np,me, root_
   integer(psb_mpik_) :: icomm, minfo, ndx
   integer(psb_mpik_), allocatable :: nzbr(:), idisp(:)
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: ierr(5)
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ subroutine  psb_ssp_allgather(globa, loca, desc_a, info, root, dupl,keepnum,keep
   else
     p_desc_c => desc_a
   end if
+  if (present(root)) then
+    root_ = root
+  else
+    root_ = -1 
+  end if
     
   call globa%free()
 
diff --git a/base/comm/psb_zspgather.F90 b/base/comm/psb_zspgather.F90
index 7bcb72e7..090b568d 100644
--- a/base/comm/psb_zspgather.F90
+++ b/base/comm/psb_zspgather.F90
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ subroutine  psb_zsp_allgather(globa, loca, desc_a, info, root, dupl,keepnum,keep
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: err_act, dupl_, nrg, ncg, nzg
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: ip,naggrm1,naggrp1, i, j, k, nzl
   logical :: keepnum_, keeploc_
-  integer(psb_mpik_) :: ictxt,np,me
+  integer(psb_mpik_) :: ictxt,np,me, root_
   integer(psb_mpik_) :: icomm, minfo, ndx
   integer(psb_mpik_), allocatable :: nzbr(:), idisp(:)
   integer(psb_ipk_) :: ierr(5)
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ subroutine  psb_zsp_allgather(globa, loca, desc_a, info, root, dupl,keepnum,keep
   else
     p_desc_c => desc_a
   end if
+  if (present(root)) then
+    root_ = root
+  else
+    root_ = -1 
+  end if
     
   call globa%free()