diff --git a/opal/runtime/opal_progress.c b/opal/runtime/opal_progress.c
index 2af67c8ad8..3a7f5a9842 100644
--- a/opal/runtime/opal_progress.c
+++ b/opal/runtime/opal_progress.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include "opal/runtime/opal_params.h"
 
 #define OPAL_PROGRESS_USE_TIMERS (OPAL_TIMER_CYCLE_SUPPORTED || OPAL_TIMER_USEC_SUPPORTED)
+#define OPAL_PROGRESS_ONLY_USEC_NATIVE (OPAL_TIMER_USEC_NATIVE && !OPAL_TIMER_CYCLE_NATIVE)
 
 #if OPAL_ENABLE_DEBUG
 bool opal_progress_debug = false;
@@ -189,11 +190,11 @@ opal_progress(void)
     if( opal_progress_event_flag != 0 ) {
 #if OPAL_HAVE_WORKING_EVENTOPS
 #if OPAL_PROGRESS_USE_TIMERS
-#if OPAL_TIMER_USEC_NATIVE
+#if OPAL_PROGRESS_ONLY_USEC_NATIVE
         opal_timer_t now = opal_timer_base_get_usec();
 #else
         opal_timer_t now = opal_timer_base_get_cycles();
-#endif  /* OPAL_TIMER_USEC_NATIVE */
+#endif  /* OPAL_PROGRESS_ONLY_USEC_NATIVE */
     /* trip the event library if we've reached our tick rate and we are
        enabled */
         if (now - event_progress_last_time > event_progress_delta ) {
@@ -316,7 +317,7 @@ opal_progress_set_event_poll_rate(int polltime)
 
 #if OPAL_PROGRESS_USE_TIMERS
     event_progress_delta = 0;
-#  if OPAL_TIMER_USEC_NATIVE
+#  if OPAL_PROGRESS_ONLY_USEC_NATIVE
     event_progress_last_time = opal_timer_base_get_usec();
 #  else
     event_progress_last_time = opal_timer_base_get_cycles();
@@ -343,7 +344,7 @@ opal_progress_set_event_poll_rate(int polltime)
 #endif
     }
 
-#if OPAL_PROGRESS_USE_TIMERS && !OPAL_TIMER_USEC_NATIVE
+#if OPAL_PROGRESS_USE_TIMERS && !OPAL_PROGRESS_ONLY_USEC_NATIVE
     /*  going to use cycles for counter.  Adjust specified usec into cycles */
     event_progress_delta = event_progress_delta * opal_timer_base_get_freq() / 1000000;
 #endif