diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/_cantera.pxd b/interfaces/cython/cantera/_cantera.pxd
index 90f7c1fa2..5c84bc982 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/_cantera.pxd
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/_cantera.pxd
@@ -472,6 +472,7 @@ cdef extern from "cantera/zeroD/Wall.h":
         void setHeatFlux(CxxFunc1*)
         void setKinetics(CxxKinetics*, CxxKinetics*)
         void setCoverages(int, double*)
+        void setCoverages(int, Composition&) except +
         void syncCoverages(int)
         double vdot(double)
         double Q(double)
diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/reactor.pyx b/interfaces/cython/cantera/reactor.pyx
index 2cfce2a34..c8e73cfe0 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/reactor.pyx
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/reactor.pyx
@@ -324,6 +324,11 @@ cdef class WallSurface:
         def __set__(self, coverages):
             if self._kinetics is None:
                 raise Exception("Can't set coverages before assigning kinetics manager.")
+
+            if isinstance(coverages, (dict, str, unicode, bytes)):
+                self.cxxwall.setCoverages(self.side, comp_map(coverages))
+                return
+
             if len(coverages) != self._kinetics.n_species:
                 raise ValueError('Incorrect number of site coverages specified')
             cdef np.ndarray[np.double_t, ndim=1] data = \
diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_reactor.py b/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_reactor.py
index 8b58f1501..6683fd19d 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_reactor.py
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_reactor.py
@@ -814,12 +814,10 @@ class TestWallKinetics(utilities.CanteraTest):
         self.make_reactors()
         self.w.left.kinetics = self.interface
 
-        C = np.zeros(self.interface.n_species)
-        C[0] = 0.3
-        C[4] = 0.7
-
-        self.w.left.coverages = C
-        self.assertArrayNear(self.w.left.coverages, C)
+        self.w.left.coverages = {'c6HH':0.3, 'c6HM':0.7}
+        self.assertNear(self.w.left.coverages[0], 0.3)
+        self.assertNear(self.w.left.coverages[1], 0.0)
+        self.assertNear(self.w.left.coverages[4], 0.7)
         self.net.advance(1e-5)
         C_left = self.w.left.coverages
 
@@ -829,8 +827,9 @@ class TestWallKinetics(utilities.CanteraTest):
 
         self.make_reactors()
         self.w.right.kinetics = self.interface
-        self.w.right.coverages = C
-        self.assertArrayNear(self.w.right.coverages, C)
+        self.w.right.coverages = 'c6HH:0.3, c6HM:0.7'
+        self.assertNear(self.w.right.coverages[0], 0.3)
+        self.assertNear(self.w.right.coverages[4], 0.7)
         self.assertEqual(self.w.left.kinetics, None)
         with self.assertRaises(Exception):
             self.w.left.coverages