diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 623f4421a9..3a378a3513 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1547,6 +1547,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([
     ompi/op/Makefile
     ompi/proc/Makefile
     ompi/request/Makefile
+    ompi/runtime/Makefile
     ompi/win/Makefile
 
     ompi/mpi/Makefile
@@ -1559,7 +1560,6 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([
     ompi/mpi/f90/fortran_kinds.sh
     ompi/mpi/f90/fortran_sizes.h
     ompi/mpi/f90/scripts/Makefile
-    ompi/mpi/runtime/Makefile
 
     ompi/tools/Makefile
     ompi/tools/ompi_info/Makefile
diff --git a/ompi/Makefile.am b/ompi/Makefile.am
index 61338fa18a..e13c7092b0 100644
--- a/ompi/Makefile.am
+++ b/ompi/Makefile.am
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ SUBDIRS = \
         op \
         proc \
         request \
+        runtime \
         win \
         . \
         dynamic-mca \
@@ -146,7 +147,7 @@ libmpi_la_LIBADD = \
         mca/topo/base/libmca_topo_base.la $(MCA_topo_STATIC_LTLIBS) \
         mpi/c/libmpi_c.la $(c_mpi_lib) $(c_pmpi_lib) \
         $(f77_base_lib) $(f77_mpi_lib) $(f77_pmpi_lib) \
-        mpi/runtime/libmpiruntime.la \
+        runtime/libmpiruntime.la \
         op/libop.la \
         proc/libproc.la \
         request/librequest.la
diff --git a/ompi/communicator/comm_init.c b/ompi/communicator/comm_init.c
index ef7c718444..45af1b3ba3 100644
--- a/ompi/communicator/comm_init.c
+++ b/ompi/communicator/comm_init.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include "mca/coll/base/base.h"
 #include "mca/topo/base/base.h"
 #include "mca/ns/base/base.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/params.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/params.h"
 #include "communicator/communicator.h"
 #include "group/group.h"
 #include "attribute/attribute.h"
diff --git a/ompi/errhandler/errhandler.h b/ompi/errhandler/errhandler.h
index 01a8e4ecae..fe581eb033 100644
--- a/ompi/errhandler/errhandler.h
+++ b/ompi/errhandler/errhandler.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #include "mpi.h"
 #include "class/ompi_object.h"
 #include "class/ompi_pointer_array.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
 #include "errhandler/errhandler_predefined.h"
 #include "errhandler/errcode-internal.h"
 
diff --git a/ompi/file/file.c b/ompi/file/file.c
index cb24b64e9c..dbd3cbd363 100644
--- a/ompi/file/file.c
+++ b/ompi/file/file.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "file/file.h"
 #include "class/ompi_list.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/params.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/params.h"
 #include "mca/io/base/base.h"
 #include "info/info.h"
 #include "util/output.h"
diff --git a/ompi/info/info.c b/ompi/info/info.c
index 955030805d..9ff39c02e1 100644
--- a/ompi/info/info.c
+++ b/ompi/info/info.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "include/constants.h"
 #include "info/info.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/params.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/params.h"
 #include "util/output.h"
 
 
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/Makefile.am b/ompi/mpi/Makefile.am
index a26de989c7..44cb48df38 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/Makefile.am
+++ b/ompi/mpi/Makefile.am
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@
 
 include $(top_srcdir)/config/Makefile.options
 
-SUBDIRS = runtime c cxx f77 f90
+SUBDIRS = c cxx f77 f90
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/c/abort.c b/ompi/mpi/c/abort.c
index 9f7dd041b3..dfc70142a2 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/c/abort.c
+++ b/ompi/mpi/c/abort.c
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 #include "mpi.h"
 #include "mpi/c/bindings.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
 #include "errhandler/errhandler.h"
 
 #if OMPI_HAVE_WEAK_SYMBOLS && OMPI_PROFILING_DEFINES
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/c/is_thread_main.c b/ompi/mpi/c/is_thread_main.c
index 717903ca8f..e252e1c860 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/c/is_thread_main.c
+++ b/ompi/mpi/c/is_thread_main.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "mpi.h"
 #include "mpi/c/bindings.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
 #include "communicator/communicator.h"
 #include "errhandler/errhandler.h"
 #include "threads/thread.h"
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/f77/iprobe_f.c b/ompi/mpi/f77/iprobe_f.c
index 37414392ba..17ff153348 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/f77/iprobe_f.c
+++ b/ompi/mpi/f77/iprobe_f.c
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #include "mpi/f77/constants.h"
 #include "errhandler/errhandler.h"
 #include "communicator/communicator.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/params.h"
 
 #if OMPI_HAVE_WEAK_SYMBOLS && OMPI_PROFILE_LAYER
 #pragma weak PMPI_IPROBE = mpi_iprobe_f
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/f77/probe_f.c b/ompi/mpi/f77/probe_f.c
index fab01bf049..a1c4f18af0 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/f77/probe_f.c
+++ b/ompi/mpi/f77/probe_f.c
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #include "mpi/f77/constants.h"
 #include "errhandler/errhandler.h"
 #include "communicator/communicator.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/params.h"
 
 #if OMPI_HAVE_WEAK_SYMBOLS && OMPI_PROFILE_LAYER
 #pragma weak PMPI_PROBE = mpi_probe_f
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/f77/recv_f.c b/ompi/mpi/f77/recv_f.c
index 498067070d..688400d458 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/f77/recv_f.c
+++ b/ompi/mpi/f77/recv_f.c
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #include "mpi/f77/constants.h"
 #include "errhandler/errhandler.h"
 #include "communicator/communicator.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/params.h"
 
 #if OMPI_HAVE_WEAK_SYMBOLS && OMPI_PROFILE_LAYER
 #pragma weak PMPI_RECV = mpi_recv_f
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/f77/type_match_size_f.c b/ompi/mpi/f77/type_match_size_f.c
index d8bdb7955a..ea3e4bdbb3 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/f77/type_match_size_f.c
+++ b/ompi/mpi/f77/type_match_size_f.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "datatype/datatype.h"
 #include "errhandler/errhandler.h"
 #include "communicator/communicator.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/params.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/params.h"
 
 #if OMPI_HAVE_WEAK_SYMBOLS && OMPI_PROFILE_LAYER
 #pragma weak PMPI_TYPE_MATCH_SIZE = mpi_type_match_size_f
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/runtime/Makefile.am b/ompi/runtime/Makefile.am
similarity index 100%
rename from ompi/mpi/runtime/Makefile.am
rename to ompi/runtime/Makefile.am
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/runtime/help-mpi-runtime.txt b/ompi/runtime/help-mpi-runtime.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from ompi/mpi/runtime/help-mpi-runtime.txt
rename to ompi/runtime/help-mpi-runtime.txt
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/runtime/mpiruntime.h b/ompi/runtime/mpiruntime.h
similarity index 100%
rename from ompi/mpi/runtime/mpiruntime.h
rename to ompi/runtime/mpiruntime.h
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_abort.c b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_abort.c
similarity index 98%
rename from ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_abort.c
rename to ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_abort.c
index 23a77468e9..167487ccbe 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_abort.c
+++ b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_abort.c
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@
 #include "communicator/communicator.h"
 #include "util/show_help.h"
 #include "util/proc_info.h"
-#include "runtime/runtime.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
+#include "orte/runtime/runtime.h"
 #include "mca/ns/ns.h"
 #include "mca/rmgr/rmgr.h"
 
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_finalize.c b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_finalize.c
similarity index 98%
rename from ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_finalize.c
rename to ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_finalize.c
index 37e9165fa4..987c5af171 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_finalize.c
+++ b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_finalize.c
@@ -32,8 +32,9 @@
 #include "info/info.h"
 #include "util/proc_info.h"
 #include "util/sys_info.h"
-#include "runtime/runtime.h"
-#include "runtime/ompi_progress.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
+#include "orte/runtime/runtime.h"
+#include "opal/runtime/ompi_progress.h"
 #include "attribute/attribute.h"
 
 #include "mca/base/base.h"
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_init.c b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_init.c
similarity index 98%
rename from ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_init.c
rename to ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_init.c
index 1947620a5a..eba63a5abb 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_init.c
+++ b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_init.c
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@
 #include "ompi_config.h"
 
 #include "include/constants.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/params.h"
-#include "runtime/runtime.h"
-#include "runtime/ompi_progress.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/params.h"
+#include "orte/runtime/runtime.h"
+#include "opal/runtime/ompi_progress.h"
 #include "util/sys_info.h"
 #include "util/proc_info.h"
 #include "util/session_dir.h"
@@ -60,9 +60,8 @@
 #include "mca/soh/base/base.h"
 #include "mca/errmgr/errmgr.h"
 
-#include "runtime/opal.h"
-#include "runtime/runtime.h"
-#include "event/event.h"
+#include "opal/runtime/opal.h"
+#include "opal/event/event.h"
 
 /*
  * Global variables and symbols for the MPI layer
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_io.c b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_io.c
similarity index 100%
rename from ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_io.c
rename to ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_io.c
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_params.c b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_params.c
similarity index 98%
rename from ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_params.c
rename to ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_params.c
index 3be6fb216a..356d7b8968 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/runtime/ompi_mpi_params.c
+++ b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_params.c
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 #include "ompi_config.h"
 
 #include "include/constants.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
-#include "mpi/runtime/params.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/params.h"
 #include "util/output.h"
 #include "mca/base/mca_base_param.h"
 
diff --git a/ompi/mpi/runtime/params.h b/ompi/runtime/params.h
similarity index 100%
rename from ompi/mpi/runtime/params.h
rename to ompi/runtime/params.h
diff --git a/ompi/tools/ompi_info/components.cc b/ompi/tools/ompi_info/components.cc
index 83b53c3223..c20023377b 100644
--- a/ompi/tools/ompi_info/components.cc
+++ b/ompi/tools/ompi_info/components.cc
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
-#include "mpi/runtime/params.h"
-#include "runtime/runtime.h"
+#include "ompi/runtime/params.h"
+#include "orte/runtime/runtime.h"
 #include "tools/ompi_info/ompi_info.h"
 
 #include "mca/base/base.h"
diff --git a/orte/runtime/runtime.h b/orte/runtime/runtime.h
index 7785687246..64a46aa755 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/runtime.h
+++ b/orte/runtime/runtime.h
@@ -35,10 +35,6 @@
 #include "util/univ_info.h"
 #include "mca/ns/ns.h"
 
-/* For backwards compatibility.  If you only need MPI stuff, please include
-   mpiruntime/mpiruntime.h directly */
-#include "mpi/runtime/mpiruntime.h"
-
 /* constants for spawn constraints */
 
 /** Spawn constraint - require multi-cell support.  The selected spawn