diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_rdma.h b/opal/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_rdma.h
index 596557c1e4..07f8237107 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_rdma.h
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_rdma.h
@@ -112,11 +112,9 @@ static inline int mca_btl_ugni_post_bte (mca_btl_ugni_base_frag_t *frag, gni_pos
         rc = mca_btl_ugni_frag_alloc(frag->endpoint,
                                      &frag->endpoint->btl->rdma_frags,
                                      &cq_frag);
-#if 0
-        fprintf(stderr,"allocated cq_frag %p\n",cq_frag);
-#endif
         if (rc == OPAL_SUCCESS) {
             cq_frag->registration = NULL;
+            cq_frag->base.des_flags = MCA_BTL_DES_FLAGS_BTL_OWNERSHIP;
             cq_frag->post_desc.base.type = GNI_POST_RDMA_PUT;
             cq_frag->post_desc.base.length  = 4;
             cq_frag->post_desc.base.remote_addr  = (uint64_t)howards_start_addr;
diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_smsg.h b/opal/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_smsg.h
index 889c388b83..7ac0b98aea 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_smsg.h
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_smsg.h
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ static inline int opal_mca_btl_ugni_smsg_send (mca_btl_ugni_base_frag_t *frag,
                                              &frag->endpoint->btl->rdma_frags,
                                              &cq_write_frag);
                 if (rc == OPAL_SUCCESS) {
+                    cq_write_frag->base.des_flags = MCA_BTL_DES_FLAGS_BTL_OWNERSHIP;
                     cq_write_frag->registration = NULL;
                     cq_write_frag->endpoint = frag->endpoint;
                     cq_write_frag->post_desc.base.type = GNI_POST_CQWRITE;