diff --git a/orte/util/show_help.c b/orte/util/show_help.c
index 294c3e0753..07d30f36b6 100644
--- a/orte/util/show_help.c
+++ b/orte/util/show_help.c
@@ -602,6 +602,15 @@ int orte_show_help(const char *filename, const char *topic,
     return rc;
 }
 
+static void cbfunc(int status, orte_process_name_t* sender,
+                   opal_buffer_t* buffer, orte_rml_tag_t tag,
+                   void* cbdata)
+{
+    bool *active = (bool*)cbdata;
+    OBJ_RELEASE(buffer);
+    *active = false;
+}
+
 int orte_show_help_norender(const char *filename, const char *topic, 
                             bool want_error_header, const char *output)
 {
@@ -640,6 +649,7 @@ int orte_show_help_norender(const char *filename, const char *topic,
     else {
         opal_buffer_t *buf;
         static bool am_inside = false;
+        volatile bool active;
 
         /* JMS Note that we *may* have a recursion situation here where
            the RML could call show_help.  Need to think about this
@@ -661,19 +671,23 @@ int orte_show_help_norender(const char *filename, const char *topic,
             /* pack the resulting string */
             opal_dss.pack(buf, &output, 1, OPAL_STRING);
             /* send it to the HNP */
+            active = true;
             if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rml.send_buffer_nb(ORTE_PROC_MY_HNP, buf,
                                                               ORTE_RML_TAG_SHOW_HELP,
-                                                              orte_rml_send_callback, NULL))) {
+                                                              cbfunc, &active))) {
                 ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
                 OBJ_RELEASE(buf);
             } else {
                 rc = ORTE_SUCCESS;
+                if (ORTE_PROC_IS_APP) {
+                    ORTE_WAIT_FOR_COMPLETION(active);
+                }
             }
             am_inside = false;
         }
     }
     
-CLEANUP:
+ CLEANUP:
     return rc;
 }