diff --git a/src/runtime/orte_finalize.c b/src/runtime/orte_finalize.c
index 2cb81355e9..3515a19212 100644
--- a/src/runtime/orte_finalize.c
+++ b/src/runtime/orte_finalize.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "util/sys_info.h"
 #include "util/proc_info.h"
 #include "util/univ_info.h"
+#include "util/os_path.h"
 
 /**
  * Leave ORTE.
@@ -46,6 +47,16 @@
  */
 int orte_finalize(void)
 {
+    char *contact_path;
+    
+    /* if I'm the seed, remove the universe contact info file */
+    if (orte_process_info.seed) {
+        contact_path = orte_os_path(false, orte_process_info.universe_session_dir,
+                    "universe-setup.txt", NULL);
+        unlink(contact_path);
+        free(contact_path);
+    }
+    
     /* rmgr close depends on wait/iof */
     orte_rmgr_base_close();
     orte_wait_finalize();
diff --git a/src/runtime/orte_init_stage1.c b/src/runtime/orte_init_stage1.c
index 797dcff6d3..7ba1628521 100644
--- a/src/runtime/orte_init_stage1.c
+++ b/src/runtime/orte_init_stage1.c
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 #include "util/session_dir.h"
 #include "util/sys_info.h"
 #include "util/cmd_line.h"
+#include "util/universe_setup_file_io.h"
+#include "util/os_path.h"
 
 #include "runtime/runtime.h"
 #include "runtime/runtime_internal.h"
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ int orte_init_stage1(void)
     char *universe;
     char *jobid_str = NULL;
     char *procid_str = NULL;
+    char *contact_path = NULL;
     pid_t pid;
     orte_universe_t univ;
 
@@ -204,9 +207,6 @@ int orte_init_stage1(void)
             orte_process_info.ns_replica_uri = strdup(univ.seed_uri);
             orte_process_info.gpr_replica_uri = strdup(univ.seed_uri);
         } else {
-            if (orte_debug_flag) {
-                    ompi_output(0, "orte_init: could not join existing universe");
-            }
             if (ORTE_ERR_NOT_FOUND != ret) {
                     /* if it exists but no contact could be established,
                      * define unique name based on current one.
@@ -221,6 +221,9 @@ int orte_init_stage1(void)
                         return ret;
                     }
             }
+            ompi_output(0, "Could not join an existing universe");
+            ompi_output(0, "Establishing a new one named: %s",
+                            orte_universe_info.name);
     
             orte_process_info.seed = true;
             /* since we are seed, ensure that all replica info is NULL'd */
@@ -266,6 +269,11 @@ int orte_init_stage1(void)
         return ret;
     }
 
+    /* if I'm the seed, set the seed uri to be me! */
+    if (orte_process_info.seed) {
+        orte_universe_info.seed_uri = orte_rml.get_uri();
+    }
+    
     /* setup my session directory */
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_ns.get_jobid_string(&jobid_str, orte_process_info.my_name))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
@@ -306,6 +314,33 @@ int orte_init_stage1(void)
         free(procid_str);
     }
 
+    /* if i'm the seed, get my contact info and write my setup file for others to find */
+    if (orte_process_info.seed) {
+        if (NULL != orte_universe_info.seed_uri) {
+            free(orte_universe_info.seed_uri);
+            orte_universe_info.seed_uri = NULL;
+        }
+        if (NULL == (orte_universe_info.seed_uri = orte_rml.get_uri())) {
+            ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ORTE_ERR_NOT_FOUND);
+            return ORTE_ERR_NOT_FOUND;
+        }
+        contact_path = orte_os_path(false, orte_process_info.universe_session_dir,
+                    "universe-setup.txt", NULL);
+        if (orte_debug_flag) {
+            ompi_output(0, "[%lu,%lu,%lu] contact_file %s",
+                        ORTE_NAME_ARGS(orte_process_info.my_name), contact_path);
+        }
+
+        if (OMPI_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_write_universe_setup_file(contact_path, &orte_universe_info))) {
+            if (orte_debug_flag) {
+                ompi_output(0, "[%lu,%lu,%lu] couldn't write setup file", ORTE_NAME_ARGS(orte_process_info.my_name));
+            }
+        } else if (orte_debug_flag) {
+            ompi_output(0, "[%lu,%lu,%lu] wrote setup file", ORTE_NAME_ARGS(orte_process_info.my_name));
+        }
+        free(contact_path);
+    }
+
     /* set contact info for ns/gpr */
     if(NULL != orte_process_info.ns_replica_uri) {
         orte_rml.set_uri(orte_process_info.ns_replica_uri);
diff --git a/src/runtime/orte_setup_hnp.c b/src/runtime/orte_setup_hnp.c
index bfa77d668f..e05fd56b0c 100644
--- a/src/runtime/orte_setup_hnp.c
+++ b/src/runtime/orte_setup_hnp.c
@@ -455,7 +455,6 @@ static void orte_setup_hnp_recv(int status, orte_process_name_t* sender,
 
 static void orte_setup_hnp_wait(pid_t wpid, int status, void *cbdata)
 {
-    int rc;
     orte_setup_hnp_cb_data_t *data;
     
     OMPI_THREAD_LOCK(&orte_setup_hnp_mutex);
diff --git a/src/tools/orted/orted.c b/src/tools/orted/orted.c
index 6e0fe3aac6..32156aa05a 100644
--- a/src/tools/orted/orted.c
+++ b/src/tools/orted/orted.c
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     int ret = 0;
     int fd;
     ompi_cmd_line_t *cmd_line = NULL;
-    char *contact_path = NULL;
     char *log_path = NULL;
     char log_file[PATH_MAX];
     char *jobidstring;
@@ -276,29 +275,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         return ret;
     }
 
-    /* if i'm the seed, get my contact info and write my setup file for others to find */
-    if (orte_process_info.seed) {
-	    if (NULL != orte_universe_info.seed_uri) {
-	        free(orte_universe_info.seed_uri);
-	        orte_universe_info.seed_uri = NULL;
-	    }
-	    orte_universe_info.seed_uri = orte_rml.get_uri();
-	    contact_path = orte_os_path(false, orte_process_info.universe_session_dir,
-				    "universe-setup.txt", NULL);
-	    if (orted_globals.debug_daemons) {
-            ompi_output(0, "ompid: contact_file %s", contact_path);
-        }
-
-	    if (OMPI_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_write_universe_setup_file(contact_path, &orte_universe_info))) {
-	        if (orted_globals.debug_daemons) {
-		        ompi_output(0, "[%lu,%lu,%lu] ompid: couldn't write setup file", ORTE_NAME_ARGS(orte_process_info.my_name));
-	        }
-	    } else if (orted_globals.debug_daemons) {
-	        ompi_output(0, "[%lu,%lu,%lu] ompid: wrote setup file", ORTE_NAME_ARGS(orte_process_info.my_name));
-	    }
-    }
-
-
     if (orted_globals.debug_daemons) {
 	    ompi_output(0, "[%lu,%lu,%lu] ompid: issuing callback", ORTE_NAME_ARGS(orte_process_info.my_name));
     }
@@ -332,9 +308,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
     /* cleanup */
-    if (NULL != contact_path) {
-	    unlink(contact_path);
-    }
     if (NULL != log_path) {
         unlink(log_path);
     }
diff --git a/src/tools/orteprobe/orteprobe.c b/src/tools/orteprobe/orteprobe.c
index 4d1d844c3c..041aa5a019 100644
--- a/src/tools/orteprobe/orteprobe.c
+++ b/src/tools/orteprobe/orteprobe.c
@@ -286,14 +286,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     /* see if a universe already exists on this machine */
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS == (ret = orte_universe_exists(&univ))) {
         /* universe is here! send info back and die */
+    } else {
+        /* existing universe is not here or does not allow contact.
+         * ensure we have a unique universe name, fork/exec an appropriate
+         * daemon, and then tell whomever spawned us how to talk to the new
+         * daemon
+         */
     }
-    
-    /* existing universe is not here or does not allow contact.
-     * ensure we have a unique universe name, fork/exec an appropriate
-     * daemon, and then tell whomever spawned us how to talk to the new
-     * daemon
-     */
-     
      
     /* cleanup */
     if (NULL != contact_path) {