diff --git a/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_allreduce.c b/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_allreduce.c
index 18a5e38902..78a4798788 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_allreduce.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_allreduce.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ int bcol_basesmuma_allreduce_init(mca_bcol_base_module_t *super)
 
     comm_attribs.bcoll_type = BCOL_ALLREDUCE;
     comm_attribs.comm_size_min = 0;
-    comm_attribs.comm_size_max = 16;
+    comm_attribs.comm_size_max = 64;
     comm_attribs.data_src = DATA_SRC_KNOWN;
 
     /* selection logic at the ml level specifies a
diff --git a/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_reduce.c b/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_reduce.c
index 6582a3cda2..cdd43f2267 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_reduce.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_reduce.c
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ int bcol_basesmuma_reduce_init(mca_bcol_base_module_t *super)
 
     comm_attribs.bcoll_type = BCOL_REDUCE;
     comm_attribs.comm_size_min = 0;
-    comm_attribs.comm_size_max = 16;
+    /* NTH: is there any reason for this restriction */
+    comm_attribs.comm_size_max = 64;
     comm_attribs.data_src = DATA_SRC_KNOWN;
     comm_attribs.waiting_semantics = NON_BLOCKING;
 
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_hier_algorithms_allreduce_setup.c b/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_hier_algorithms_allreduce_setup.c
index 17ce35cd02..960a6da622 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_hier_algorithms_allreduce_setup.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_hier_algorithms_allreduce_setup.c
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C; c-basic-offset:4 ; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2009-2012 Oak Ridge National Laboratory.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2009-2012 Mellanox Technologies.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2014      Los Alamos National Security, LLC. All rights
+ *                         reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  *
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -147,7 +150,6 @@ static int mca_coll_ml_build_allreduce_schedule(
         goto Allreduce_Setup_Error;
     }
 
-
     for (i = 0; i < num_up_levels; i++) {
         comp_fn = &schedule->component_functions[i];
         comp_fn->h_level = i; /* hierarchy level */
@@ -160,6 +162,10 @@ static int mca_coll_ml_build_allreduce_schedule(
 
         comp_fn->bcol_function =
             bcol_module->filtered_fns_table[DATA_SRC_KNOWN][NON_BLOCKING][BCOL_REDUCE][bcol_func_index][0][0];
+        if (NULL == comp_fn->bcol_function) {
+            /* if there isn't a bcol function for this then we can't continue */
+            goto Allreduce_Setup_Error;
+        }
 
         comp_fn->task_comp_fn = NULL;
 
@@ -176,6 +182,8 @@ static int mca_coll_ml_build_allreduce_schedule(
         comp_fn->h_level = nfn; /* hierarchy level */
         bcol_module = GET_BCOL(topo_info, nfn);
 
+        assert (NULL != bcol_module);
+
         /* strcpy (comp_fn->fn_name, "ALLREDUCE_SMALL_DATA"); */
 
         /* The allreduce should depend on the reduce */
@@ -183,6 +191,10 @@ static int mca_coll_ml_build_allreduce_schedule(
         comp_fn->num_dependencies        = 0;
         comp_fn->bcol_function =
             bcol_module->filtered_fns_table[DATA_SRC_KNOWN][NON_BLOCKING][BCOL_ALLREDUCE][bcol_func_index][0][0];
+        if (NULL == comp_fn->bcol_function) {
+            /* if there isn't a bcol function for this then we can't continue */
+            goto Allreduce_Setup_Error;
+        }
 
         comp_fn->task_comp_fn = NULL;
 
@@ -200,6 +212,8 @@ static int mca_coll_ml_build_allreduce_schedule(
         comp_fn->h_level = i; /* hierarchy level */
         bcol_module = GET_BCOL(topo_info, i);
 
+        assert (NULL != bcol_module);
+
     /*    strcpy (comp_fn->fn_name, "ALLREDUCE_SMALL_DATA"); */
 
         comp_fn->num_dependent_tasks     = 0;
@@ -207,6 +221,10 @@ static int mca_coll_ml_build_allreduce_schedule(
 
         comp_fn->bcol_function =
             bcol_module->filtered_fns_table[DATA_SRC_KNOWN][NON_BLOCKING][BCOL_BCAST][bcol_func_index][0][0];
+        if (NULL == comp_fn->bcol_function) {
+            /* if there isn't a bcol function for this then we can't continue */
+            goto Allreduce_Setup_Error;
+        }
 
         comp_fn->task_comp_fn = NULL;