diff --git a/framework/include/interfacekernels/InterfaceDiffusionTest.h b/framework/include/interfacekernels/InterfaceDiffusionTest.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5d6736ab79b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/framework/include/interfacekernels/InterfaceDiffusionTest.h
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+//* This file is part of the MOOSE framework
+//* https://www.mooseframework.org
+//*
+//* All rights reserved, see COPYRIGHT for full restrictions
+//* https://github.com/idaholab/moose/blob/master/COPYRIGHT
+//*
+//* Licensed under LGPL 2.1, please see LICENSE for details
+//* https://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-2.1.html
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "InterfaceKernel.h"
+
+/**
+ * DG kernel for interfacing diffusion between two variables on adjacent blocks
+ */
+class InterfaceDiffusionTest : public InterfaceKernel
+{
+public:
+  static InputParameters validParams();
+
+  InterfaceDiffusionTest(const InputParameters & parameters);
+
+protected:
+  virtual Real computeQpResidual(Moose::DGResidualType type) override;
+  virtual Real computeQpJacobian(Moose::DGJacobianType type) override;
+
+  const MaterialProperty<Real> & _D;
+  const MaterialProperty<Real> & _D_neighbor;
+
+  // dislocation velocities
+  // slip direction and normal element
+  const MaterialProperty<std::vector<RealVectorValue>> & _slip_direction_edge;
+  const MaterialProperty<std::vector<RealVectorValue>> & _slip_plane_normalboth;
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/framework/src/interfacekernels/InterfaceDiffusionTest.C b/framework/src/interfacekernels/InterfaceDiffusionTest.C
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..aacb6a5daf06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/framework/src/interfacekernels/InterfaceDiffusionTest.C
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+//* This file is part of the MOOSE framework
+//* https://www.mooseframework.org
+//*
+//* All rights reserved, see COPYRIGHT for full restrictions
+//* https://github.com/idaholab/moose/blob/master/COPYRIGHT
+//*
+//* Licensed under LGPL 2.1, please see LICENSE for details
+//* https://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-2.1.html
+
+#include "InterfaceDiffusionTest.h"
+
+registerMooseObject("MooseApp", InterfaceDiffusionTest);
+
+InputParameters
+InterfaceDiffusionTest::validParams()
+{
+  InputParameters params = InterfaceKernel::validParams();
+  params.addParam<MaterialPropertyName>("D", "D", "The diffusion coefficient.");
+  params.addParam<MaterialPropertyName>(
+      "D_neighbor", "D_neighbor", "The neighboring diffusion coefficient.");
+  params.addClassDescription(
+      "The kernel is utilized to establish flux equivalence on an interface for variables.");
+  return params;
+}
+
+InterfaceDiffusionTest::InterfaceDiffusionTest(const InputParameters & parameters)
+  : InterfaceKernel(parameters),
+    _D(getMaterialProperty<Real>("D")),
+    _D_neighbor(getNeighborMaterialProperty<Real>("D_neighbor")),
+    _slip_direction_edge(getMaterialProperty<std::vector<RealVectorValue>>("slip_direction_edge")),
+    _slip_plane_normalboth(
+        getMaterialProperty<std::vector<RealVectorValue>>("slip_plane_normalboth"))
+{
+}
+
+Real
+InterfaceDiffusionTest::computeQpResidual(Moose::DGResidualType type)
+{
+  Real r = 0;
+
+  switch (type)
+  {
+    case Moose::Element:
+      r = _test[_i][_qp] * -_D_neighbor[_qp] * _grad_neighbor_value[_qp] * _normals[_qp];
+      break;
+
+    case Moose::Neighbor:
+      r = _test_neighbor[_i][_qp] * _D[_qp] * _grad_u[_qp] * _normals[_qp];
+      break;
+  }
+
+  return r;
+}
+
+Real
+InterfaceDiffusionTest::computeQpJacobian(Moose::DGJacobianType type)
+{
+  Real jac = 0;
+
+  switch (type)
+  {
+    case Moose::ElementElement:
+    case Moose::NeighborNeighbor:
+      break;
+
+    case Moose::NeighborElement:
+      jac = _test_neighbor[_i][_qp] * _D[_qp] * _grad_phi[_j][_qp] * _normals[_qp];
+      break;
+
+    case Moose::ElementNeighbor:
+      jac = _test[_i][_qp] * -_D_neighbor[_qp] * _grad_phi_neighbor[_j][_qp] * _normals[_qp];
+      break;
+  }
+
+  return jac;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/framework/src/meshmodifiers/SidesetAroundSubdomainUpdater.C b/framework/src/meshmodifiers/SidesetAroundSubdomainUpdater.C
index a34f346e0301..9f16c32312dd 100644
--- a/framework/src/meshmodifiers/SidesetAroundSubdomainUpdater.C
+++ b/framework/src/meshmodifiers/SidesetAroundSubdomainUpdater.C
@@ -159,10 +159,16 @@ SidesetAroundSubdomainUpdater::finalize()
   {
     for (const auto & [elem_id, side] : sent_data)
     {
-      _boundary_info.remove_side(mesh.elem_ptr(elem_id), side, _boundary_id);
+      // delete boundaries using parents
+      auto elem_ptr = mesh.elem_ptr(elem_id)->level() > 0 ? mesh.elem_ptr(elem_id)->parent()
+                                                          : mesh.elem_ptr(elem_id);
+      _boundary_info.remove_side(elem_ptr, side, _boundary_id);
       if (_displaced_boundary_info)
-        _displaced_boundary_info->remove_side(
-            displaced_mesh->elem_ptr(elem_id), side, _boundary_id);
+        _displaced_boundary_info->remove_side((displaced_mesh->elem_ptr(elem_id)->level() > 0)
+                                                  ? displaced_mesh->elem_ptr(elem_id)->parent()
+                                                  : displaced_mesh->elem_ptr(elem_id),
+                                              side,
+                                              _boundary_id);
     }
   };