diff --git a/src/libs/blueprint/conduit_blueprint_mesh_utils.cpp b/src/libs/blueprint/conduit_blueprint_mesh_utils.cpp
index e581fe02d..8c5991fc1 100644
--- a/src/libs/blueprint/conduit_blueprint_mesh_utils.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/blueprint/conduit_blueprint_mesh_utils.cpp
@@ -2834,7 +2834,27 @@ bool adjset::is_canonical(const Node &adjset)
     for(conduit::index_t i = 0; i < groups.number_of_children() && retval; i++)
     {
         auto pos = groups[i].name().find(conduit::blueprint::mesh::adjset::group_prefix());
-        retval &= (pos == 0);
+
+        bool canonical = (pos == 0);
+        if(canonical)
+        {
+            std::vector<std::string> tokens;
+            conduit::utils::split_string(groups[i].name(), '_', tokens);
+            canonical = tokens.size() >= 3;
+            if(canonical)
+            {
+                std::vector<int> doms;
+                doms.reserve(tokens.size() - 1);
+                // Start at 1 to skip the groups prefix.
+                for(size_t j = 1; j < tokens.size(); j++)
+                    doms.push_back(atoi(tokens[j].c_str()));
+                // Start at 1 because we'll compare pairs. Make sure domains are sorted.
+                for(size_t j = 1; j < doms.size(); j++)
+                    canonical &= doms[j - 1] < doms[j];
+            }
+        }
+
+        retval &= canonical;
     }
     return retval;
 }
diff --git a/src/tests/blueprint/t_blueprint_mesh_utils.cpp b/src/tests/blueprint/t_blueprint_mesh_utils.cpp
index d38e40f46..f2a77b225 100644
--- a/src/tests/blueprint/t_blueprint_mesh_utils.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/blueprint/t_blueprint_mesh_utils.cpp
@@ -617,3 +617,54 @@ TEST(conduit_blueprint_mesh_utils, topology_search_2d_nohit)
     EXPECT_EQ(resCA.size(), 4);
     EXPECT_EQ(resCA, answersCA);
 };
+
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+TEST(conduit_blueprint_mesh_utils, is_canonical)
+{
+    const char *adjsets = R"(
+adjsets:
+  correct:
+    topology: mesh
+    association: vertex
+    groups:
+      group_0_1:
+        neighbors: 1
+        values: [0,1,2]
+  wrong_prefix:
+    topology: mesh
+    association: vertex
+    groups:
+      prefix_0_1:
+        neighbors: 1
+        values: [0,1,2]
+  out_of_order:
+    topology: mesh
+    association: vertex
+    groups:
+      group_1_0:
+        neighbors: 1
+        values: [0,1,2]
+  multi:
+    topology: mesh
+    association: vertex
+    groups:
+      group_0_1_2:
+        neighbors: [1,2]
+        values: [0,1,2]
+  multi_out_of_order:
+    topology: mesh
+    association: vertex
+    groups:
+      group_0_2_1:
+        neighbors: [1,2]
+        values: [0,1,2]
+)";
+
+    conduit::Node n;
+    n.parse(adjsets);
+    EXPECT_TRUE( conduit::blueprint::mesh::utils::adjset::is_canonical(n["adjsets/correct"]));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(conduit::blueprint::mesh::utils::adjset::is_canonical(n["adjsets/wrong_prefix"]));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(conduit::blueprint::mesh::utils::adjset::is_canonical(n["adjsets/out_of_order"]));
+    EXPECT_TRUE( conduit::blueprint::mesh::utils::adjset::is_canonical(n["adjsets/multi"]));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(conduit::blueprint::mesh::utils::adjset::is_canonical(n["adjsets/multi_out_of_order"]));
+}