diff --git a/package/MDAnalysis/core/selection.py b/package/MDAnalysis/core/selection.py
index d8a7b6d7815..cd3641dd0ba 100644
--- a/package/MDAnalysis/core/selection.py
+++ b/package/MDAnalysis/core/selection.py
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ def _apply_distmat(self, group):
         sel = self.sel.apply(group)
         box = self.validate_dimensions(group.dimensions)
         periodic = box is not None
-        ref = sel.center_of_geometry(pbc=periodic).reshape(1, 3).\
+        ref = sel.center_of_geometry().reshape(1, 3).\
             astype(np.float32)
         d = distances.distance_array(ref,
                                      group.positions,
diff --git a/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/core/test_atomselections.py b/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/core/test_atomselections.py
index 3a167a1a52d..260c74cdc1e 100644
--- a/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/core/test_atomselections.py
+++ b/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/core/test_atomselections.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #
 from __future__ import division, absolute_import
 
-from six.moves import range
+from six.moves import range, zip
 
 import itertools
 import numpy as np
@@ -542,20 +542,6 @@ def test_spherical_layer(self, u, meth, periodic):
 
         assert ref == set(result.indices)
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize('meth, periodic', methods)
-    def test_spherical_zone(self, u, meth, periodic):
-        sel = Parser.parse('sphzone 5.0 resid 1', u.atoms)
-        sel = self.choosemeth(sel, meth, periodic)
-        result = sel.apply(u.atoms)
-
-        r1 = u.select_atoms('resid 1')
-        box = u.dimensions if periodic else None
-        cog = r1.center_of_geometry(pbc=periodic).reshape(1, 3)
-        d = distance_array(u.atoms.positions, cog, box=box)
-        ref = set(np.where(d < 5.0)[0])
-
-        assert ref == set(result.indices)
-
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('meth, periodic', methods)
     def test_point(self, u, meth, periodic):
         sel = Parser.parse('point 5.0 5.0 5.0  3.0', u.atoms)
@@ -602,12 +588,38 @@ def test_cyzone(self, u, meth, periodic):
 
         assert ref == set(result.indices)
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('input_val, expected',
+                             zip(BaseDistanceSelection.methods,
+                                 [25, 31, 33, 25]))
+    def test_spherical_zone(self, u, input_val, expected):
+        # NOTE: this has been modified to regression test
+        # only for resolution of Issue #1795
+        # pending proper pbc & wrapping implementations
+        # in the future
+        sel = Parser.parse('sphzone 5.0 resid 1', u.atoms)
+        sel = self.choosemeth(sel, input_val[0], input_val[1])
+        result = len(sel.apply(u.atoms))
+        assert result == expected
+
 
 class TestTriclinicDistanceSelections(BaseDistanceSelection):
     @pytest.fixture()
     def u(self):
         return mda.Universe(GRO)
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('input_val, expected',
+                             zip(BaseDistanceSelection.methods,
+                                 [55, 55, 55, 55]))
+    def test_spherical_zone(self, u, input_val, expected):
+        # NOTE: this has been modified to regression test
+        # only for resolution of Issue #1795
+        # pending proper pbc & wrapping implementations
+        # in the future
+        sel = Parser.parse('sphzone 5.0 resid 1', u.atoms)
+        sel = self.choosemeth(sel, input_val[0], input_val[1])
+        result = len(sel.apply(u.atoms))
+        assert result == expected
+
 
 class TestTriclinicSelections(object):
     """Non-KDTree based selections