diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_allreduce.c b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_allreduce.c
index eeb1d35fb4..828b32061a 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_allreduce.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_allreduce.c
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ ompi_coll_base_allreduce_intra_ring(const void *sbuf, void *rbuf, int count,
     char *tmpsend = NULL, *tmprecv = NULL, *inbuf[2] = {NULL, NULL};
     ptrdiff_t true_lb, true_extent, lb, extent;
     ptrdiff_t block_offset, max_real_segsize;
-    ompi_request_t *reqs[2] = {NULL, NULL};
+    ompi_request_t *reqs[2] = {MPI_REQUEST_NULL, MPI_REQUEST_NULL};
 
     size = ompi_comm_size(comm);
     rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
@@ -528,6 +528,7 @@ ompi_coll_base_allreduce_intra_ring(const void *sbuf, void *rbuf, int count,
  error_hndl:
     OPAL_OUTPUT((ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output, "%s:%4d\tRank %d Error occurred %d\n",
                  __FILE__, line, rank, ret));
+    ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(reqs, 2);
     (void)line;  // silence compiler warning
     if (NULL != inbuf[0]) free(inbuf[0]);
     if (NULL != inbuf[1]) free(inbuf[1]);
@@ -627,7 +628,7 @@ ompi_coll_base_allreduce_intra_ring_segmented(const void *sbuf, void *rbuf, int
     size_t typelng;
     char *tmpsend = NULL, *tmprecv = NULL, *inbuf[2] = {NULL, NULL};
     ptrdiff_t block_offset, max_real_segsize;
-    ompi_request_t *reqs[2] = {NULL, NULL};
+    ompi_request_t *reqs[2] = {MPI_REQUEST_NULL, MPI_REQUEST_NULL};
     ptrdiff_t lb, extent, gap;
 
     size = ompi_comm_size(comm);
@@ -847,6 +848,7 @@ ompi_coll_base_allreduce_intra_ring_segmented(const void *sbuf, void *rbuf, int
  error_hndl:
     OPAL_OUTPUT((ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output, "%s:%4d\tRank %d Error occurred %d\n",
                  __FILE__, line, rank, ret));
+    ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(reqs, 2);
     (void)line;  // silence compiler warning
     if (NULL != inbuf[0]) free(inbuf[0]);
     if (NULL != inbuf[1]) free(inbuf[1]);
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_alltoall.c b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_alltoall.c
index 3f1bdc5fb5..a61bf40ca9 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_alltoall.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_alltoall.c
@@ -393,6 +393,7 @@ int ompi_coll_base_alltoall_intra_linear_sync(const void *sbuf, int scount,
     if (0 < total_reqs) {
         reqs = ompi_coll_base_comm_get_reqs(module->base_data, 2 * total_reqs);
         if (NULL == reqs) { error = -1; line = __LINE__; goto error_hndl; }
+        reqs[0] = reqs[1] = MPI_REQUEST_NULL;
     }
 
     prcv = (char *) rbuf;
@@ -468,6 +469,15 @@ int ompi_coll_base_alltoall_intra_linear_sync(const void *sbuf, int scount,
     return MPI_SUCCESS;
 
  error_hndl:
+    /* find a real error code */
+    if (MPI_ERR_IN_STATUS == error) {
+        for( ri = 0; ri < nreqs; ri++ ) {
+            if (MPI_REQUEST_NULL == reqs[ri]) continue;
+            if (MPI_ERR_PENDING == reqs[ri]->req_status.MPI_ERROR) continue;
+            error = reqs[ri]->req_status.MPI_ERROR;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
     OPAL_OUTPUT((ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,
                  "%s:%4d\tError occurred %d, rank %2d", __FILE__, line, error,
                  rank));
@@ -661,7 +671,16 @@ int ompi_coll_base_alltoall_intra_basic_linear(const void *sbuf, int scount,
     if (MPI_SUCCESS != err) { line = __LINE__; goto err_hndl; }
 
  err_hndl:
-    if( MPI_SUCCESS != err ) {
+    if (MPI_SUCCESS != err) {
+        /* find a real error code */
+        if (MPI_ERR_IN_STATUS == err) {
+            for( i = 0; i < nreqs; i++ ) {
+                if (MPI_REQUEST_NULL == req[i]) continue;
+                if (MPI_ERR_PENDING == req[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR) continue;
+                err = req[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
         OPAL_OUTPUT( (ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,"%s:%4d\tError occurred %d, rank %2d",
                       __FILE__, line, err, rank) );
         (void)line;  // silence compiler warning
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_alltoallv.c b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_alltoallv.c
index aec8b85944..dbe33e8eee 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_alltoallv.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_alltoallv.c
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Trustees of Indiana University and Indiana
  *                         University Research and Technology
  *                         Corporation.  All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2004-2016 The University of Tennessee and The University
+ * Copyright (c) 2004-2017 The University of Tennessee and The University
  *                         of Tennessee Research Foundation.  All rights
  *                         reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart,
@@ -276,6 +276,15 @@ ompi_coll_base_alltoallv_intra_basic_linear(const void *sbuf, const int *scounts
     err = ompi_request_wait_all(nreqs, reqs, MPI_STATUSES_IGNORE);
 
  err_hndl:
+    /* find a real error code */
+    if (MPI_ERR_IN_STATUS == err) {
+        for( i = 0; i < nreqs; i++ ) {
+            if (MPI_REQUEST_NULL == reqs[i]) continue;
+            if (MPI_ERR_PENDING == reqs[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR) continue;
+            err = reqs[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
     /* Free the requests in all cases as they are persistent */
     ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(reqs, nreqs);
 
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_barrier.c b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_barrier.c
index a190f3be72..49ac4ea2e9 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_barrier.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_barrier.c
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Trustees of Indiana University and Indiana
  *                         University Research and Technology
  *                         Corporation.  All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2004-2016 The University of Tennessee and The University
+ * Copyright (c) 2004-2017 The University of Tennessee and The University
  *                         of Tennessee Research Foundation.  All rights
  *                         reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart,
@@ -102,8 +102,10 @@ int ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_doublering(struct ompi_communicator_t *comm,
 {
     int rank, size, err = 0, line = 0, left, right;
 
-    rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
     size = ompi_comm_size(comm);
+    if( 1 == size )
+        return OMPI_SUCCESS;
+    rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
 
     OPAL_OUTPUT((ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,"ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_doublering rank %d", rank));
 
@@ -172,8 +174,10 @@ int ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_recursivedoubling(struct ompi_communicator_t *c
 {
     int rank, size, adjsize, err, line, mask, remote;
 
-    rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
     size = ompi_comm_size(comm);
+    if( 1 == size )
+        return OMPI_SUCCESS;
+    rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
     OPAL_OUTPUT((ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,
                  "ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_recursivedoubling rank %d",
                  rank));
@@ -251,8 +255,10 @@ int ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_bruck(struct ompi_communicator_t *comm,
 {
     int rank, size, distance, to, from, err, line = 0;
 
-    rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
     size = ompi_comm_size(comm);
+    if( 1 == size )
+        return MPI_SUCCESS;
+    rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
     OPAL_OUTPUT((ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,
                  "ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_bruck rank %d", rank));
 
@@ -285,16 +291,19 @@ int ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_bruck(struct ompi_communicator_t *comm,
 int ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_two_procs(struct ompi_communicator_t *comm,
                                             mca_coll_base_module_t *module)
 {
-    int remote, err;
+    int remote, size, err;
+
+    size = ompi_comm_size(comm);
+    if( 1 == size )
+        return MPI_SUCCESS;
+    if( 2 != ompi_comm_size(comm) ) {
+        return MPI_ERR_UNSUPPORTED_OPERATION;
+    }
 
     remote = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
     OPAL_OUTPUT((ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,
                  "ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_two_procs rank %d", remote));
 
-    if (2 != ompi_comm_size(comm)) {
-        return MPI_ERR_UNSUPPORTED_OPERATION;
-    }
-
     remote = (remote + 1) & 0x1;
 
     err = ompi_coll_base_sendrecv_zero(remote, MCA_COLL_BASE_TAG_BARRIER,
@@ -324,8 +333,10 @@ int ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_basic_linear(struct ompi_communicator_t *comm,
     int i, err, rank, size, line;
     ompi_request_t** requests = NULL;
 
-    rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
     size = ompi_comm_size(comm);
+    if( 1 == size )
+        return MPI_SUCCESS;
+    rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
 
     /* All non-root send & receive zero-length message. */
     if (rank > 0) {
@@ -367,11 +378,21 @@ int ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_basic_linear(struct ompi_communicator_t *comm,
     /* All done */
     return MPI_SUCCESS;
  err_hndl:
+    if( NULL != requests ) {
+        /* find a real error code */
+        if (MPI_ERR_IN_STATUS == err) {
+            for( i = 0; i < size; i++ ) {
+                if (MPI_REQUEST_NULL == requests[i]) continue;
+                if (MPI_ERR_PENDING == requests[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR) continue;
+                err = requests[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(requests, size);
+    }
     OPAL_OUTPUT( (ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,"%s:%4d\tError occurred %d, rank %2d",
                   __FILE__, line, err, rank) );
     (void)line;  // silence compiler warning
-    if( NULL != requests )
-        ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(requests, size);
     return err;
 }
 /* copied function (with appropriate renaming) ends here */
@@ -385,8 +406,10 @@ int ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_tree(struct ompi_communicator_t *comm,
 {
     int rank, size, depth, err, jump, partner;
 
-    rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
     size = ompi_comm_size(comm);
+    if( 1 == size )
+        return MPI_SUCCESS;
+    rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
     OPAL_OUTPUT((ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,
                  "ompi_coll_base_barrier_intra_tree %d",
                  rank));
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_bcast.c b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_bcast.c
index a35e18fa9c..9a23505196 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_bcast.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_bcast.c
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Trustees of Indiana University and Indiana
  *                         University Research and Technology
  *                         Corporation.  All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2004-2016 The University of Tennessee and The University
+ * Copyright (c) 2004-2017 The University of Tennessee and The University
  *                         of Tennessee Research Foundation.  All rights
  *                         reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart,
@@ -214,13 +214,29 @@ ompi_coll_base_bcast_intra_generic( void* buffer,
     return (MPI_SUCCESS);
 
  error_hndl:
+    if (MPI_ERR_IN_STATUS == err) {
+        for( req_index = 0; req_index < 2; req_index++ ) {
+            if (MPI_REQUEST_NULL == recv_reqs[req_index]) continue;
+            if (MPI_ERR_PENDING == recv_reqs[req_index]->req_status.MPI_ERROR) continue;
+            err = recv_reqs[req_index]->req_status.MPI_ERROR;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    ompi_coll_base_free_reqs( recv_reqs, 2);
+    if( NULL != send_reqs ) {
+        if (MPI_ERR_IN_STATUS == err) {
+            for( req_index = 0; req_index < tree->tree_nextsize; req_index++ ) {
+                if (MPI_REQUEST_NULL == send_reqs[req_index]) continue;
+                if (MPI_ERR_PENDING == send_reqs[req_index]->req_status.MPI_ERROR) continue;
+                err = send_reqs[req_index]->req_status.MPI_ERROR;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(send_reqs, tree->tree_nextsize);
+    }
     OPAL_OUTPUT( (ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,"%s:%4d\tError occurred %d, rank %2d",
                   __FILE__, line, err, rank) );
     (void)line;  // silence compiler warnings
-    ompi_coll_base_free_reqs( recv_reqs, 2);
-    if( NULL != send_reqs ) {
-        ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(send_reqs, tree->tree_nextsize);
-    }
 
     return err;
 }
@@ -649,12 +665,21 @@ ompi_coll_base_bcast_intra_basic_linear(void *buff, int count,
      * care what the error was -- just that there *was* an error.  The
      * PML will finish all requests, even if one or more of them fail.
      * i.e., by the end of this call, all the requests are free-able.
-     * So free them anyway -- even if there was an error, and return
-     * the error after we free everything. */
+     * So free them anyway -- even if there was an error. 
+     * Note we still need to get the actual error, as collective 
+     * operations cannot return MPI_ERR_IN_STATUS.
+     */
 
     err = ompi_request_wait_all(i, reqs, MPI_STATUSES_IGNORE);
  err_hndl:
     if( MPI_SUCCESS != err ) {  /* Free the reqs */
+        /* first find the real error code */
+        for( preq = reqs; preq < reqs+i; preq++ ) {
+            if (MPI_REQUEST_NULL == *preq) continue;
+            if (MPI_ERR_PENDING == (*preq)->req_status.MPI_ERROR) continue;
+            err = (*preq)->req_status.MPI_ERROR;
+            break;
+        }
         ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(reqs, i);
     }
 
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_gather.c b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_gather.c
index 8d5ab70d70..6fd1e98146 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_gather.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_gather.c
@@ -326,6 +326,15 @@ ompi_coll_base_gather_intra_linear_sync(const void *sbuf, int scount,
     return MPI_SUCCESS;
  error_hndl:
     if (NULL != reqs) {
+        /* find a real error code */
+        if (MPI_ERR_IN_STATUS == ret) {
+            for( i = 0; i < size; i++ ) {
+                if (MPI_REQUEST_NULL == reqs[i]) continue;
+                if (MPI_ERR_PENDING == reqs[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR) continue;
+                ret = reqs[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
         ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(reqs, size);
     }
     OPAL_OUTPUT (( ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_reduce.c b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_reduce.c
index 82838ddbcd..dfd709bfb9 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_reduce.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_reduce.c
@@ -338,16 +338,34 @@ int ompi_coll_base_reduce_generic( const void* sendbuf, void* recvbuf, int origi
     return OMPI_SUCCESS;
 
  error_hndl:  /* error handler */
+    /* find a real error code */
+    if (MPI_ERR_IN_STATUS == ret) {
+        for( i = 0; i < 2; i++ ) {
+            if (MPI_REQUEST_NULL == reqs[i]) continue;
+            if (MPI_ERR_PENDING == reqs[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR) continue;
+            ret = reqs[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(reqs, 2);
+    if( NULL != sreq ) {
+        if (MPI_ERR_IN_STATUS == ret) {
+            for( i = 0; i < max_outstanding_reqs; i++ ) {
+                if (MPI_REQUEST_NULL == sreq[i]) continue;
+                if (MPI_ERR_PENDING == sreq[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR) continue;
+                ret = sreq[i]->req_status.MPI_ERROR;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(sreq, max_outstanding_reqs);
+    }
+    if( inbuf_free[0] != NULL ) free(inbuf_free[0]);
+    if( inbuf_free[1] != NULL ) free(inbuf_free[1]);
+    if( accumbuf_free != NULL ) free(accumbuf);
     OPAL_OUTPUT (( ompi_coll_base_framework.framework_output,
                    "ERROR_HNDL: node %d file %s line %d error %d\n",
                    rank, __FILE__, line, ret ));
     (void)line;  // silence compiler warning
-    if( inbuf_free[0] != NULL ) free(inbuf_free[0]);
-    if( inbuf_free[1] != NULL ) free(inbuf_free[1]);
-    if( accumbuf_free != NULL ) free(accumbuf);
-    if( NULL != sreq ) {
-        ompi_coll_base_free_reqs(sreq, max_outstanding_reqs);
-    }
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_reduce_scatter.c b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_reduce_scatter.c
index 948a17376c..984a91787a 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_reduce_scatter.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_reduce_scatter.c
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ ompi_coll_base_reduce_scatter_intra_ring( const void *sbuf, void *rbuf, const in
     char *tmpsend = NULL, *tmprecv = NULL, *accumbuf = NULL, *accumbuf_free = NULL;
     char *inbuf_free[2] = {NULL, NULL}, *inbuf[2] = {NULL, NULL};
     ptrdiff_t extent, max_real_segsize, dsize, gap = 0;
-    ompi_request_t *reqs[2] = {NULL, NULL};
+    ompi_request_t *reqs[2] = {MPI_REQUEST_NULL, MPI_REQUEST_NULL};
 
     size = ompi_comm_size(comm);
     rank = ompi_comm_rank(comm);
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_util.c b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_util.c
index 5736c0946f..422894e45f 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_util.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/base/coll_base_util.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ int ompi_coll_base_sendrecv_actual( const void* sendbuf, size_t scount,
 { /* post receive first, then send, then wait... should be fast (I hope) */
     int err, line = 0;
     size_t rtypesize, stypesize;
-    ompi_request_t *req;
+    ompi_request_t *req = MPI_REQUEST_NULL;
     ompi_status_public_t rstatus;
 
     /* post new irecv */