diff --git a/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs.h b/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs.h
index 3ace814e73..f1e44f0829 100644
--- a/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs.h
+++ b/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ OPAL_DECLSPEC void opal_ibv_free_device_list(struct ibv_device **ib_devs);
  * common_verbs_mca.c
  */
 extern bool opal_common_verbs_warn_nonexistent_if;
+extern int opal_verbs_want_fork_support;
 OPAL_DECLSPEC void opal_common_verbs_mca_register(mca_base_component_t *component);
 
 /*
diff --git a/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs_basics.c b/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs_basics.c
index fa5b0d85ef..a2e09cf4eb 100644
--- a/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs_basics.c
+++ b/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs_basics.c
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@
 const char *ibv_get_sysfs_path(void);
 #endif
 
-int opal_verbs_want_fork_support;
-
 #include "common_verbs.h"
 #include "opal/runtime/opal_params.h"
 #include "opal/util/show_help.h"
@@ -70,16 +68,6 @@ int opal_common_verbs_fork_test(void)
 {
     /* Make sure that ibv_fork_init is called before the calls to other memory registering verbs,
      * which will be called after this function */
-    opal_verbs_want_fork_support = 1;
-    ret = mca_base_var_register("opal", "opal", NULL, "verbs_want_fork_support",
-                    "Whether fork support is desired or not "
-                    "(negative = try to enable fork support, but continue even "
-                    "if it is not available, 0 = do not enable fork support, "
-                    "positive = try to enable fork support and fail if it is not available)",
-                    MCA_BASE_VAR_TYPE_INT, NULL, 0, MCA_BASE_VAR_FLAG_SETTABLE,
-                    OPAL_INFO_LVL_8, MCA_BASE_VAR_SCOPE_ALL_EQ,
-                    &opal_verbs_want_fork_support);
-
 #ifdef HAVE_IBV_FORK_INIT
     if (0 != opal_verbs_want_fork_support) {
         /* Check if fork support is requested by the user */
diff --git a/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs_mca.c b/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs_mca.c
index 8e5281f2f9..9dcb296383 100644
--- a/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs_mca.c
+++ b/opal/mca/common/verbs/common_verbs_mca.c
@@ -25,12 +25,25 @@ static void register_internal(void)
 {
     opal_common_verbs_warn_nonexistent_if = true;
     warn_nonexistent_if_index =
-      mca_base_var_register("ompi", "ompi_common", "verbs", "warn_nonexistent_if",
+      mca_base_var_register("opal", "opal_common", "verbs", "warn_nonexistent_if",
                             "Warn if non-existent devices and/or ports are specified in device include/exclude MCA parameters "
                             "(0 = do not warn; any other value = warn)",
                             MCA_BASE_VAR_TYPE_BOOL, NULL, 0, MCA_BASE_VAR_FLAG_SETTABLE,
                             OPAL_INFO_LVL_9, MCA_BASE_VAR_SCOPE_LOCAL,
                             &opal_common_verbs_warn_nonexistent_if);
+    /* A depreacated synonym */
+    mca_base_var_register_synonym(warn_nonexistent_if_index, "ompi", "ompi_common",
+                                  "verbs", "warn_nonexistent_if", MCA_BASE_VAR_SYN_FLAG_DEPRECATED);
+
+    opal_verbs_want_fork_support = 1;
+    mca_base_var_register("opal", "opal_common", "verbs", "want_fork_support",
+                          "Whether fork support is desired or not "
+                          "(negative = try to enable fork support, but continue even "
+                          "if it is not available, 0 = do not enable fork support, "
+                          "positive = try to enable fork support and fail if it is not available)",
+                          MCA_BASE_VAR_TYPE_INT, NULL, 0, MCA_BASE_VAR_FLAG_SETTABLE,
+                          OPAL_INFO_LVL_8, MCA_BASE_VAR_SCOPE_ALL_EQ,
+                          &opal_verbs_want_fork_support);
 
     registered = true;
 }