diff --git a/include/cantera/zeroD/ReactorNet.h b/include/cantera/zeroD/ReactorNet.h
index 877fd2cf9..f0faa3f96 100644
--- a/include/cantera/zeroD/ReactorNet.h
+++ b/include/cantera/zeroD/ReactorNet.h
@@ -152,10 +152,10 @@ public:
         return m_integ->sensitivity(k, m_sensIndex[p])/m_integ->solution(k);
     }
 
-    //! Return the sensitivity of the species named *species* with respect to
+    //! Return the sensitivity of the component named *component* with respect to
     //! the *p*-th sensitivity parameter.
-    double sensitivity(const std::string& species, size_t p, int reactor=0) {
-        size_t k = globalComponentIndex(species, reactor);
+    double sensitivity(const std::string& component, size_t p, int reactor=0) {
+        size_t k = globalComponentIndex(component, reactor);
         return sensitivity(k, p);
     }
 
@@ -182,10 +182,10 @@ public:
         return m_ntotpar;
     }
 
-    //! Return the index corresponding to the species named *species* in the
+    //! Return the index corresponding to the component named *component* in the
     //! reactor with index *reactor* in the global state vector for the
     //! reactor network.
-    size_t globalComponentIndex(const std::string& species, size_t reactor=0);
+    size_t globalComponentIndex(const std::string& component, size_t reactor=0);
 
     //! Used by Reactor and Wall objects to register the addition of
     //! sensitivity reactions so that the ReactorNet can keep track of the
diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/reactor.pyx b/interfaces/cython/cantera/reactor.pyx
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 2580e001a..e90b21ab7
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/reactor.pyx
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/reactor.pyx
@@ -817,20 +817,19 @@ cdef class ReactorNet:
         def __set__(self, pybool v):
             self.net.setVerbose(v)
 
-    def sensitivity(self, species, int p, int r=0):
+    def sensitivity(self, component, int p, int r=0):
         """
-        Returns the sensitivity of the solution variable *species* in reactor
-        *r* with respect to the parameter *p*. Returns an empty array until the
-        first time step is taken. See `ReactorNet.component_index` and
-        `sensitivities` to determine the integer index for the variables.
-        Otherwise, a string can be passed into *species* to automatically look
-        up the index.
+        Returns the sensitivity of the solution variable *component* in
+        reactor *r* with respect to the parameter *p*. *component* can be a
+        string or an integer. See `component_index` and `sensitivities` to
+        determine the integer index for the variables. If it is not given, *r*
+        defaults to the first reactor. Returns an empty array until the first
+        time step is taken.
         """
-
-        if isinstance(species, int):
-            return self.net.sensitivity(species,p)
-        elif isinstance(species, (str, unicode)):
-            return self.net.sensitivity(stringify(species), p, r)
+        if isinstance(component, int):
+            return self.net.sensitivity(component, p)
+        elif isinstance(component, (str, unicode)):
+            return self.net.sensitivity(stringify(component), p, r)
 
     def sensitivities(self):
         """
diff --git a/src/zeroD/ReactorNet.cpp b/src/zeroD/ReactorNet.cpp
index 03a34e6aa..d514bec20 100644
--- a/src/zeroD/ReactorNet.cpp
+++ b/src/zeroD/ReactorNet.cpp
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ void ReactorNet::getInitialConditions(doublereal t0,
     }
 }
 
-size_t ReactorNet::globalComponentIndex(const string& species, size_t reactor)
+size_t ReactorNet::globalComponentIndex(const string& component, size_t reactor)
 {
     if (!m_init) {
         initialize();
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ size_t ReactorNet::globalComponentIndex(const string& species, size_t reactor)
     for (n = 0; n < reactor; n++) {
         start += m_size[n];
     }
-    return start + m_reactors[n]->componentIndex(species);
+    return start + m_reactors[n]->componentIndex(component);
 }
 
 void ReactorNet::registerSensitivityReaction(void* reactor,