diff --git a/docs/boundaryconditions.md b/docs/boundaryconditions.md
index 6dda515a9..be09901bf 100644
--- a/docs/boundaryconditions.md
+++ b/docs/boundaryconditions.md
@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@ The following code sets up two rings of ghost boxes in the x and y directions.
 
 === "python"
     ```python
-    sim.configure_ghostboxes(2, 2, 0)
+    sim.N_ghost_x = 2
+    sim.N_ghost_y = 2
+    sim.N_ghost_z = 0
     ```
 
 See [Rein & Liu](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012A%26A...537A.128R/abstract) for details on the ghost box implementation.
diff --git a/ipython_examples/SaturnsRings.ipynb b/ipython_examples/SaturnsRings.ipynb
index 3cbc644e3..275f2aeee 100644
--- a/ipython_examples/SaturnsRings.ipynb
+++ b/ipython_examples/SaturnsRings.ipynb
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "sim.configure_ghostboxes(2,2,0)"
+    "sim.N_ghost_x = 2\n",
+    "sim.N_ghost_y = 2"
    ]
   },
   {
diff --git a/rebound/simulation.py b/rebound/simulation.py
index 434aec5ce..d194829da 100644
--- a/rebound/simulation.py
+++ b/rebound/simulation.py
@@ -1225,25 +1225,6 @@ def configure_box(self, boxsize, N_root_x=1, N_root_y=1, N_root_z=1):
         clibrebound.reb_simulation_configure_box(byref(self), c_double(boxsize), c_int(N_root_x), c_int(N_root_y), c_int(N_root_z))
         return
    
-    def configure_ghostboxes(self, N_ghost_x=0, N_ghost_y=0, N_ghost_z=0):
-        """
-        Initialize the ghost boxes.
-
-        This function only needs to be called it boundary conditions other than "none" or
-        "open" are used. In such a case the number of ghostboxes must be known and is set 
-        with this function. 
-        
-        Parameters
-        ----------
-        N_ghost_x, N_ghost_y, N_ghost_z : int
-            The number of ghost boxes in each direction. All values default to 0 (no ghost boxes).
-        """
-        clibrebound.N_ghost_x = c_int(N_ghost_x)
-        clibrebound.N_ghost_y = c_int(N_ghost_y)
-        clibrebound.N_ghost_z = c_int(N_ghost_z)
-        return
-
-
 # Output to file (Simulationarchive)
     def save_to_file(self, filename, interval=None, walltime=None, step=None, delete_file=False):
         """
diff --git a/rebound/tests/test_shearingsheet.py b/rebound/tests/test_shearingsheet.py
index eb40478c5..76e27dbb2 100644
--- a/rebound/tests/test_shearingsheet.py
+++ b/rebound/tests/test_shearingsheet.py
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ def test_saturnsrings(self):
         sim.softening = 0.2       # [m]
         boxsize = 50.            # [m]
         sim.configure_box(boxsize)
-        sim.configure_ghostboxes(2,2,0)
+        sim.N_ghost_x = 2
+        sim.N_ghost_y = 2
         sim.integrator = "sei"
         sim.boundary   = "shear"
         sim.gravity    = "tree"
diff --git a/rebound/tests/test_simulation.py b/rebound/tests/test_simulation.py
index ea5495be7..65c479f91 100644
--- a/rebound/tests/test_simulation.py
+++ b/rebound/tests/test_simulation.py
@@ -70,9 +70,6 @@ def test_removehash(self):
         with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
             self.sim.remove(hash=-99334)
     
-    def test_configure_ghostboxes(self):
-        self.sim.configure_ghostboxes(1,1,1)
-   
     def test_step(self):
         self.sim.step()
         self.assertNotEqual(self.sim.t, 1.246)