diff --git a/orte/mca/rmaps/base/help-orte-rmaps-base.txt b/orte/mca/rmaps/base/help-orte-rmaps-base.txt
index cf08ce7e0a..259cdffaf6 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rmaps/base/help-orte-rmaps-base.txt
+++ b/orte/mca/rmaps/base/help-orte-rmaps-base.txt
@@ -250,15 +250,15 @@ situation and try again.
 #
 [mapping-too-low]
 A request for multiple cpus-per-proc was given, but a directive
-was also give to map to an object level that is unlikely to
-have multiple cpus underneath it:
+was also give to map to an object level that has less cpus than
+requested ones:
 
   #cpus-per-proc:  %d
+  number of cpus:  %d
   map-by:          %s
 
-Please specify a mapping level that is no lower than socket, or
-else let us define a default mapping that will allow multiple
-cpus-per-proc.
+Please specify a mapping level that has more cpus, or else let us
+define a default mapping that will allow multiple cpus-per-proc.
 #
 [unrecognized-modifier]
 The mapping request contains an unrecognized modifier:
diff --git a/orte/mca/rmaps/base/rmaps_base_frame.c b/orte/mca/rmaps/base/rmaps_base_frame.c
index 1571a4820f..c0fe3dac37 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rmaps/base/rmaps_base_frame.c
+++ b/orte/mca/rmaps/base/rmaps_base_frame.c
@@ -379,15 +379,6 @@ static int orte_rmaps_base_open(mca_base_open_flag_t flags)
     }
 
     if (1 < orte_rmaps_base.cpus_per_rank) {
-        /* check to see if we were told to map at too low a level */
-        if ((ORTE_MAPPING_GIVEN & ORTE_GET_MAPPING_DIRECTIVE(orte_rmaps_base.mapping)) &&
-            ORTE_GET_MAPPING_POLICY(orte_rmaps_base.mapping) > ORTE_MAPPING_BYSOCKET &&
-            ORTE_GET_MAPPING_POLICY(orte_rmaps_base.mapping) < ORTE_MAPPING_BYSLOT) {
-            orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "mapping-too-low", true,
-                           orte_rmaps_base.cpus_per_rank,
-                           orte_rmaps_base_print_mapping(orte_rmaps_base.mapping));
-            return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
-        }
 #if OPAL_HAVE_HWLOC
         /* if we were asked for multiple cpus/proc, then we have to
          * bind to those cpus - any other binding policy is an
diff --git a/orte/mca/rmaps/round_robin/rmaps_rr.c b/orte/mca/rmaps/round_robin/rmaps_rr.c
index acd70d8fb5..817dcb281c 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rmaps/round_robin/rmaps_rr.c
+++ b/orte/mca/rmaps/round_robin/rmaps_rr.c
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ static int orte_rmaps_rr_map(orte_job_t *jdata)
                  * it isn't available, but the error allows us to try
                  * byslot, then do so
                  */
+                ORTE_SET_MAPPING_POLICY(jdata->map->mapping, ORTE_MAPPING_BYSLOT);
                 rc = orte_rmaps_rr_byslot(jdata, app, &node_list, num_slots,
                                           app->num_procs);
             }
@@ -161,6 +162,7 @@ static int orte_rmaps_rr_map(orte_job_t *jdata)
                  * it isn't available, but the error allows us to try
                  * byslot, then do so
                  */
+                ORTE_SET_MAPPING_POLICY(jdata->map->mapping, ORTE_MAPPING_BYSLOT);
                 rc = orte_rmaps_rr_byslot(jdata, app, &node_list, num_slots,
                                           app->num_procs);
             }
@@ -172,6 +174,7 @@ static int orte_rmaps_rr_map(orte_job_t *jdata)
                  * it isn't available, but the error allows us to try
                  * byslot, then do so
                  */
+                ORTE_SET_MAPPING_POLICY(jdata->map->mapping, ORTE_MAPPING_BYSLOT);
                 rc = orte_rmaps_rr_byslot(jdata, app, &node_list, num_slots,
                                           app->num_procs);
             }
@@ -183,6 +186,7 @@ static int orte_rmaps_rr_map(orte_job_t *jdata)
                  * it isn't available, but the error allows us to try
                  * byslot, then do so
                  */
+                ORTE_SET_MAPPING_POLICY(jdata->map->mapping, ORTE_MAPPING_BYSLOT);
                 rc = orte_rmaps_rr_byslot(jdata, app, &node_list, num_slots,
                                           app->num_procs);
             }
@@ -194,6 +198,7 @@ static int orte_rmaps_rr_map(orte_job_t *jdata)
                  * it isn't available, but the error allows us to try
                  * byslot, then do so
                  */
+                ORTE_SET_MAPPING_POLICY(jdata->map->mapping, ORTE_MAPPING_BYSLOT);
                 rc = orte_rmaps_rr_byslot(jdata, app, &node_list, num_slots,
                                           app->num_procs);
             }
@@ -205,6 +210,7 @@ static int orte_rmaps_rr_map(orte_job_t *jdata)
                  * it isn't available, but the error allows us to try
                  * byslot, then do so
                  */
+                ORTE_SET_MAPPING_POLICY(jdata->map->mapping, ORTE_MAPPING_BYSLOT);
                 rc = orte_rmaps_rr_byslot(jdata, app, &node_list, num_slots,
                                           app->num_procs);
             }
@@ -216,6 +222,7 @@ static int orte_rmaps_rr_map(orte_job_t *jdata)
                  * it isn't available, but the error allows us to try
                  * byslot, then do so
                  */
+                ORTE_SET_MAPPING_POLICY(jdata->map->mapping, ORTE_MAPPING_BYSLOT);
                 rc = orte_rmaps_rr_byslot(jdata, app, &node_list, num_slots,
                                           app->num_procs);
             }
diff --git a/orte/mca/rmaps/round_robin/rmaps_rr_mappers.c b/orte/mca/rmaps/round_robin/rmaps_rr_mappers.c
index 3aedbeb1b4..d49c88d475 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rmaps/round_robin/rmaps_rr_mappers.c
+++ b/orte/mca/rmaps/round_robin/rmaps_rr_mappers.c
@@ -601,6 +601,12 @@ int orte_rmaps_rr_byobj(orte_job_t *jdata,
                         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ORTE_ERR_NOT_FOUND);
                         return ORTE_ERR_NOT_FOUND;
                     }
+                    if (orte_rmaps_base.cpus_per_rank > (orte_vpid_t)opal_hwloc_base_get_npus(node->topology, obj)) {
+                        orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "mapping-too-low", true,
+                                       orte_rmaps_base.cpus_per_rank, opal_hwloc_base_get_npus(node->topology, obj),
+                                       orte_rmaps_base_print_mapping(orte_rmaps_base.mapping));
+                        return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
+                    }
                     if (NULL == (proc = orte_rmaps_base_setup_proc(jdata, node, app->idx))) {
                         return ORTE_ERR_OUT_OF_RESOURCE;
                     }
@@ -745,6 +751,12 @@ static int byobj_span(orte_job_t *jdata,
                 ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ORTE_ERR_NOT_FOUND);
                 return ORTE_ERR_NOT_FOUND;
             }
+            if (orte_rmaps_base.cpus_per_rank > (orte_vpid_t)opal_hwloc_base_get_npus(node->topology, obj)) {
+                orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "mapping-too-low", true,
+                               orte_rmaps_base.cpus_per_rank, opal_hwloc_base_get_npus(node->topology, obj),
+                               orte_rmaps_base_print_mapping(orte_rmaps_base.mapping));
+                return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
+            }
             /* determine how many to map */
             nprocs = navg;
             if (0 < nxtra_objs) {