diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_put.c b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_put.c
index 861183eea0..b2e3b500b2 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_put.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_put.c
@@ -83,6 +83,14 @@ int orte_ess_env_put(orte_std_cntr_t num_procs,
     }
     opal_setenv(param, value, true, env);
     free(param);
+    /* users would appreciate being given a public environmental variable
+     * that also represents this value - something MPI specific - so
+     * do that here.
+     *
+     * AND YES - THIS BREAKS THE ABSTRACTION BARRIER TO SOME EXTENT.
+     * We know - just live with it
+     */
+    opal_setenv("OMPI_COMM_WORLD_NUM_LOCAL_PROCS", value, true, env);
     free(value);
     
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;