diff --git a/opal/mca/db/base/base.h b/opal/mca/db/base/base.h
index 1c1f6f5fea..249dcd5ae2 100644
--- a/opal/mca/db/base/base.h
+++ b/opal/mca/db/base/base.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2010      Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved. 
  * Copyright (c) 2012-2013 Los Alamos National Security, Inc.  All rights reserved. 
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ OPAL_DECLSPEC extern mca_base_framework_t opal_db_base_framework;
 /**
  * Select a db module
  */
-OPAL_DECLSPEC int opal_db_base_select(void);
+OPAL_DECLSPEC int opal_db_base_select(bool restrict_local);
 
 typedef struct {
     opal_list_item_t super;
diff --git a/opal/mca/db/base/db_base_select.c b/opal/mca/db/base/db_base_select.c
index a973edda62..396fa17ab4 100644
--- a/opal/mca/db/base/db_base_select.c
+++ b/opal/mca/db/base/db_base_select.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2010      Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved. 
  * Copyright (c) 2012-2013 Los Alamos National Security, Inc.  All rights reserved. 
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@
 static bool selected = false;
 
 int 
-opal_db_base_select(void)
+opal_db_base_select(bool restrict_local)
 {
     mca_base_component_list_item_t *cli = NULL;
     opal_db_base_component_t *component = NULL;
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ opal_db_base_select(void)
         opal_output_verbose(5, opal_db_base_framework.framework_output,
                             "mca:db:select: Querying component [%s]",
                             component->base_version.mca_component_name);
-        rc = component->query(&module, &store, &fetch);
+        rc = component->query(&module, &store, &fetch, restrict_local);
 
         /* If no module was returned, then skip component */
         if (OPAL_SUCCESS != rc || NULL == module) {
diff --git a/opal/mca/db/db.h b/opal/mca/db/db.h
index 70ab34b30f..300a21ffcb 100644
--- a/opal/mca/db/db.h
+++ b/opal/mca/db/db.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2010      Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved. 
- * Copyright (c) 2012-2013 Los Alamos National Security, Inc.  All rights reserved. 
+ * Copyright (c) 2012-2013 Los Alamos National Security, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -176,7 +177,8 @@ typedef struct opal_db_base_module_1_0_0_t opal_db_base_module_t;
  */
 typedef int (*opal_db_component_query_fn_t)(opal_db_base_module_t **module,
                                             int *store_priority,
-                                            int *fetch_priority);
+                                            int *fetch_priority,
+                                            bool restrict_local);
 /*
  * the standard component data structure
  */
diff --git a/opal/mca/db/hash/db_hash_component.c b/opal/mca/db/hash/db_hash_component.c
index e5e530f6c1..838f34b46b 100644
--- a/opal/mca/db/hash/db_hash_component.c
+++ b/opal/mca/db/hash/db_hash_component.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2010      Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved. 
  * Copyright (c) 2012      Los Alamos National Security, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -26,7 +27,8 @@
 static int db_hash_component_open(void);
 static int db_hash_component_query(opal_db_base_module_t **module,
                                    int *store_priority,
-                                   int *fetch_priority);
+                                   int *fetch_priority,
+                                   bool restrict_local);
 static int db_hash_component_close(void);
 static int db_hash_component_register(void);
 
@@ -75,7 +77,8 @@ static int db_hash_component_open(void)
 
 static int db_hash_component_query(opal_db_base_module_t **module,
                                    int *store_priority,
-                                   int *fetch_priority)
+                                   int *fetch_priority,
+                                   bool restrict_local)
 {
     /* we are the default - the ESS modules will set the db selection
      * envar if they need someone else
diff --git a/opal/mca/db/pmi/db_pmi_component.c b/opal/mca/db/pmi/db_pmi_component.c
index 78999d646b..39503194e3 100644
--- a/opal/mca/db/pmi/db_pmi_component.c
+++ b/opal/mca/db/pmi/db_pmi_component.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2012-2013 Los Alamos National Security, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -21,7 +22,8 @@
 static int db_pmi_component_open(void);
 static int db_pmi_component_query(opal_db_base_module_t **module,
                                   int *store_priority,
-                                  int *fetch_priority);
+                                  int *fetch_priority,
+                                  bool restrict_local);
 static int db_pmi_component_close(void);
 static int db_pmi_component_register(void);
 
@@ -67,16 +69,19 @@ static int db_pmi_component_open(void)
 
 static int db_pmi_component_query(opal_db_base_module_t **module,
                                   int *store_priority,
-                                  int *fetch_priority)
+                                  int *fetch_priority,
+                                  bool restrict_local)
 {
-    /* only use PMI if available - the ESS pmi module
-     * will force our selection if we are direct-launched
-     */
-    if (mca_common_pmi_init()) {
-        *store_priority = my_store_priority;
-        *fetch_priority = my_fetch_priority;
-        *module = &opal_db_pmi_module;
-        return OPAL_SUCCESS;
+    if (!restrict_local) {
+        /* only use PMI if available - the ESS pmi module
+         * will force our selection if we are direct-launched
+         */
+        if (mca_common_pmi_init()) {
+            *store_priority = my_store_priority;
+            *fetch_priority = my_fetch_priority;
+            *module = &opal_db_pmi_module;
+            return OPAL_SUCCESS;
+        }
     }
 
     *store_priority = 0;
diff --git a/opal/mca/db/print/db_print_component.c b/opal/mca/db/print/db_print_component.c
index 8cdcf5dff9..eade0267e5 100644
--- a/opal/mca/db/print/db_print_component.c
+++ b/opal/mca/db/print/db_print_component.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2012-2013 Los Alamos National Security, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -29,7 +30,8 @@ static int print_component_open(void);
 static int print_component_close(void);
 static int print_component_query(opal_db_base_module_t **module,
                                  int *store_priority,
-                                 int *fetch_priority);
+                                 int *fetch_priority,
+                                 bool restrict_local);
 static int print_component_register(void);
 
 /*
@@ -69,7 +71,8 @@ static int print_component_open(void)
 /* this component is NEVER used for store or fetch */
 static int print_component_query(opal_db_base_module_t **module,
                                  int *store_priority,
-                                 int *fetch_priority)
+                                 int *fetch_priority,
+                                 bool restrict_local)
 {
     if (NULL == mca_db_print_component.filename) {
         *store_priority = 0;
diff --git a/opal/mca/db/sqlite/db_sqlite_component.c b/opal/mca/db/sqlite/db_sqlite_component.c
index 45d736283d..10a17d07e0 100644
--- a/opal/mca/db/sqlite/db_sqlite_component.c
+++ b/opal/mca/db/sqlite/db_sqlite_component.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2012-2013 Los Alamos National Security, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -34,7 +35,8 @@ static int sqlite_component_open(void);
 static int sqlite_component_close(void);
 static int sqlite_component_query(opal_db_base_module_t **module,
                                   int *store_priority,
-                                  int *fetch_priority);
+                                  int *fetch_priority,
+                                  bool restrict_local);
 static int sqlite_component_register(void);
 
 /*
@@ -74,7 +76,8 @@ static int sqlite_component_open(void)
 /* this component is NEVER used for store or fetch */
 static int sqlite_component_query(opal_db_base_module_t **module,
                                   int *store_priority,
-                                  int *fetch_priority)
+                                  int *fetch_priority,
+                                  bool restrict_local)
 {
     struct stat buf;
 
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/base/base.h b/orte/mca/ess/base/base.h
index eebd101e46..2794180e47 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/base/base.h
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/base/base.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2011-2012 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2012      Oak Ridge National Labs.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2013      Los Alamos National Security, LLC.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ ORTE_DECLSPEC int orte_ess_env_get(void);
 
 ORTE_DECLSPEC int orte_ess_base_std_prolog(void);
 
-ORTE_DECLSPEC int orte_ess_base_app_setup(void);
+ORTE_DECLSPEC int orte_ess_base_app_setup(bool db_restrict_local);
 ORTE_DECLSPEC int orte_ess_base_app_finalize(void);
 ORTE_DECLSPEC void orte_ess_base_app_abort(int status, bool report);
 
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_app.c b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_app.c
index 83c40ad66c..de712649f6 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_app.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_app.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
 
 #include "orte/mca/ess/base/base.h"
 
-int orte_ess_base_app_setup(void)
+int orte_ess_base_app_setup(bool db_restrict_local)
 {
     int ret;
     char *error = NULL;
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ int orte_ess_base_app_setup(void)
         error = "opal_db_base_open";
         goto error;
     }
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_db_base_select())) {
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_db_base_select(db_restrict_local))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
         error = "orte_db_base_select";
         goto error;
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_orted.c b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_orted.c
index d98807ff0a..3f228fcc79 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_orted.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_orted.c
@@ -281,7 +281,8 @@ int orte_ess_base_orted_setup(char **hosts)
         error = "orte_db_base_open";
         goto error;
     }
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_db_base_select())) {
+    /* always restrict daemons to local database components */
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_db_base_select(true))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
         error = "orte_db_base_select";
         goto error;
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/env/ess_env_module.c b/orte/mca/ess/env/ess_env_module.c
index c6029ceaa9..28f03b4b2d 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/env/ess_env_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/env/ess_env_module.c
@@ -142,16 +142,8 @@ static int rte_init(void)
         
     }
     
-    /* otherwise, I must be an application process -  ensure
-     * that we do NOT load the PMI database component or else
-     * we could wind up wasting a lot of time in startup if
-     * we are a proc launched by mpirun in an environment that
-     * has PMI as well
-     */
-    putenv("OMPI_MCA_db=^pmi");
-
     /* use the default procedure to finish my setup */
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_ess_base_app_setup())) {
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_ess_base_app_setup(true))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
         error = "orte_ess_base_app_setup";
         goto error;
@@ -211,9 +203,6 @@ static int rte_finalize(void)
     /* deconstruct the nidmap and jobmap arrays */
     orte_util_nidmap_finalize();
 
-    /* cleanup the env */
-    unsetenv("OMPI_MCA_db");
-
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/hnp/ess_hnp_module.c b/orte/mca/ess/hnp/ess_hnp_module.c
index aba7db4ced..9991814abc 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/hnp/ess_hnp_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/hnp/ess_hnp_module.c
@@ -329,9 +329,9 @@ static int rte_init(void)
     /* setup the global job and node arrays */
     orte_job_data = OBJ_NEW(opal_pointer_array_t);
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_pointer_array_init(orte_job_data,
-                                                      1,
-                                                      ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_MAX_SIZE,
-                                                      1))) {
+                                                       1,
+                                                       ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_MAX_SIZE,
+                                                       1))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
         error = "setup job array";
         goto error;
@@ -339,18 +339,18 @@ static int rte_init(void)
     
     orte_node_pool = OBJ_NEW(opal_pointer_array_t);
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_pointer_array_init(orte_node_pool,
-                                                      ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_BLOCK_SIZE,
-                                                      ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_MAX_SIZE,
-                                                      ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_BLOCK_SIZE))) {
+                                                       ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_BLOCK_SIZE,
+                                                       ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_MAX_SIZE,
+                                                       ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_BLOCK_SIZE))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
         error = "setup node array";
         goto error;
     }
     orte_node_topologies = OBJ_NEW(opal_pointer_array_t);
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_pointer_array_init(orte_node_topologies,
-                                                      ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_BLOCK_SIZE,
-                                                      ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_MAX_SIZE,
-                                                      ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_BLOCK_SIZE))) {
+                                                       ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_BLOCK_SIZE,
+                                                       ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_MAX_SIZE,
+                                                       ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_BLOCK_SIZE))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
         error = "setup node topologies array";
         goto error;
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ static int rte_init(void)
         error = "orte_db_base_open";
         goto error;
     }
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_db_base_select())) {
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_db_base_select(true))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
         error = "orte_db_base_select";
         goto error;
@@ -555,8 +555,8 @@ static int rte_init(void)
         }
         
         /* Once the session directory location has been established, set
-         the opal_output hnp file location to be in the
-         proc-specific session directory. */
+           the opal_output hnp file location to be in the
+           proc-specific session directory. */
         opal_output_set_output_file_info(orte_process_info.proc_session_dir,
                                          "output-", NULL, NULL);
         
@@ -695,28 +695,28 @@ static int rte_init(void)
     }
 
     /* We actually do *not* want an HNP to voluntarily yield() the
-     processor more than necessary.  Orterun already blocks when
-     it is doing nothing, so it doesn't use any more CPU cycles than
-     it should; but when it *is* doing something, we do not want it
-     to be unnecessarily delayed because it voluntarily yielded the
-     processor in the middle of its work.
+       processor more than necessary.  Orterun already blocks when
+       it is doing nothing, so it doesn't use any more CPU cycles than
+       it should; but when it *is* doing something, we do not want it
+       to be unnecessarily delayed because it voluntarily yielded the
+       processor in the middle of its work.
      
-     For example: when a message arrives at orterun, we want the
-     OS to wake us up in a timely fashion (which most OS's
-     seem good about doing) and then we want orterun to process
-     the message as fast as possible.  If orterun yields and lets
-     aggressive MPI applications get the processor back, it may be a
-     long time before the OS schedules orterun to run again
-     (particularly if there is no IO event to wake it up).  Hence,
-     routed OOB messages (for example) may be significantly delayed
-     before being delivered to MPI processes, which can be
-     problematic in some scenarios (e.g., COMM_SPAWN, BTL's that
-     require OOB messages for wireup, etc.). */
+       For example: when a message arrives at orterun, we want the
+       OS to wake us up in a timely fashion (which most OS's
+       seem good about doing) and then we want orterun to process
+       the message as fast as possible.  If orterun yields and lets
+       aggressive MPI applications get the processor back, it may be a
+       long time before the OS schedules orterun to run again
+       (particularly if there is no IO event to wake it up).  Hence,
+       routed OOB messages (for example) may be significantly delayed
+       before being delivered to MPI processes, which can be
+       problematic in some scenarios (e.g., COMM_SPAWN, BTL's that
+       require OOB messages for wireup, etc.). */
     opal_progress_set_yield_when_idle(false);
 
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;
 
-error:
+ error:
     if (ORTE_ERR_SILENT != ret && !orte_report_silent_errors) {
         orte_show_help("help-orte-runtime.txt",
                        "orte_init:startup:internal-failure",
@@ -794,6 +794,7 @@ static int rte_finalize(void)
             fclose(orte_xml_fp);
         }
     }
+
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/lsf/ess_lsf_module.c b/orte/mca/ess/lsf/ess_lsf_module.c
index f8ba7acb57..3df20efe86 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/lsf/ess_lsf_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/lsf/ess_lsf_module.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Regents of the University of California.
  *                         All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2007-2011 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ static int rte_init(void)
     /* otherwise, I must be an application process - use
      * the default procedure to finish my setup
      */
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_ess_base_app_setup())) {
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_ess_base_app_setup(false))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
         error = "orte_ess_base_app_setup";
         goto error;
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/pmi/ess_pmi_module.c b/orte/mca/ess/pmi/ess_pmi_module.c
index 3a5611a322..32a585c19e 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/pmi/ess_pmi_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/pmi/ess_pmi_module.c
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ static int rte_init(void)
         putenv("OMPI_MCA_routed=direct");
     
         /* now use the default procedure to finish my setup */
-        if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_ess_base_app_setup())) {
+        if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_ess_base_app_setup(false))) {
             ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
             error = "orte_ess_base_app_setup";
             goto error;
@@ -277,12 +277,14 @@ static int rte_init(void)
                             }
                             n += procs;
                         }
+                    } else {
+                        procs = 0;
                     }
                 }
             }
             free(pmapping);
 
-            if ((procs > 0) && (procs < orte_process_info.num_procs)) {
+            if (0 < procs) {
                 ranks = (int*)malloc(procs * sizeof(int));
                 for (i=0; i < procs; i++) {
                     ranks[i] = n + i;
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/singleton/ess_singleton_module.c b/orte/mca/ess/singleton/ess_singleton_module.c
index 3b2699816f..5d6989045e 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/singleton/ess_singleton_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/singleton/ess_singleton_module.c
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ static int rte_init(void)
      */
 
     /* use the std app init to complete the procedure */
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_ess_base_app_setup())) {
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_ess_base_app_setup(true))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
         return rc;
     }
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/slurm/ess_slurm_module.c b/orte/mca/ess/slurm/ess_slurm_module.c
index 40d351cb97..d280b7ac0c 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/slurm/ess_slurm_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/slurm/ess_slurm_module.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Regents of the University of California.
  *                         All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2008-2011 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/tm/ess_tm_module.c b/orte/mca/ess/tm/ess_tm_module.c
index 36bd6c6085..a6fe6f2eb7 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/tm/ess_tm_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/tm/ess_tm_module.c
@@ -112,23 +112,9 @@ static int rte_init(void)
         
     }
     
-    /* otherwise, I must be an application process - use
-     * the default procedure to finish my setup
-     */
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_ess_base_app_setup())) {
-        ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        error = "orte_ess_base_app_setup";
-        goto error;
-    }
-    
-    /* setup the nidmap arrays */
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_util_nidmap_init(orte_process_info.sync_buf))) {
-        ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        error = "orte_util_nidmap_init";
-        goto error;
-    }
-    
-    return ORTE_SUCCESS;
+    /* no other options are supported! */
+    error = "ess_error";
+    ret = ORTE_ERROR;
     
 error:
     if (ORTE_ERR_SILENT != ret && !orte_report_silent_errors) {