As compared to planar surfaces, surfaces with defects show a reduction in nucleation barrier only at low ε * , i.e., weak interfacial interactions. Furthermore, the defect geometry also influences the σ min . For certain geometries of the groove there is a reduction in σ min ; we speculate that this occurs when the length scale of the defect is comparable to that of the critical bubble nucleation radius. Moreover, in presence of defects, multiple barriers to nucleation exist. Overall, our results shed light on how a bubble nucleates from a atomistically flat and surfaces with defects. Future investigations on other defect geometries, air-filled grooves, free energy calculations will shed more light on the fundamental mechanisms associated with the nucleation process. pressure starts increasing is defined as the critical bubble radius.