diff --git a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_component.c b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_component.c
index 771bf6d72d..7db67d797a 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_component.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_component.c
@@ -471,6 +471,7 @@ ompi_mtl_portals4_progress(void)
             case PTL_EVENT_AUTO_FREE:
             case PTL_EVENT_AUTO_UNLINK:
             case PTL_EVENT_SEARCH:
+            case PTL_EVENT_LINK:
                 if (NULL != ev.user_ptr) {
                     ptl_request = ev.user_ptr;
                     ret = ptl_request->event_callback(&ev, ptl_request);
@@ -497,14 +498,13 @@ ompi_mtl_portals4_progress(void)
 #endif
                 break;
 
-            case PTL_EVENT_LINK:
             case PTL_EVENT_GET_OVERFLOW:
             case PTL_EVENT_FETCH_ATOMIC:
             case PTL_EVENT_FETCH_ATOMIC_OVERFLOW:
             case PTL_EVENT_ATOMIC:
             case PTL_EVENT_ATOMIC_OVERFLOW:
-                opal_output_verbose(1, ompi_mtl_base_output,
-                                    "Unexpected event of type %d", ev.type);
+                opal_output(ompi_mtl_base_output,
+                            "Unexpected event of type %d", ev.type);
             }
         } else if (PTL_EQ_EMPTY == ret) {
             break;
diff --git a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_recv.c b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_recv.c
index 54dda3115c..5378014306 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_recv.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_recv.c
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ ompi_mtl_portals4_recv_progress(ptl_event_t *ev,
         (ompi_mtl_portals4_recv_request_t*) ptl_base_request;
     size_t msg_length = 0;
 
+    /* as soon as we've seen any event associated with a request, it's
+       started */
+    ptl_request->req_started = true;
+
     switch (ev->type) {
     case PTL_EVENT_PUT:
         OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((50, ompi_mtl_base_output, "Recv %d (0x%lx) got put event",
@@ -295,6 +299,9 @@ ompi_mtl_portals4_recv_progress(ptl_event_t *ev,
 
         break;
 
+    case PTL_EVENT_LINK:
+        break;
+
     default:
         opal_output_verbose(1, ompi_mtl_base_output,
                             "Unhandled receive callback with event type %d",
@@ -358,6 +365,7 @@ ompi_mtl_portals4_irecv(struct mca_mtl_base_module_t* mtl,
     ptl_request->convertor = convertor;
     ptl_request->delivery_ptr = start;
     ptl_request->delivery_len = length;
+    ptl_request->req_started = false;
     ptl_request->super.super.ompi_req->req_status.MPI_ERROR = OMPI_SUCCESS;
 
     OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((50, ompi_mtl_base_output,
@@ -374,8 +382,10 @@ ompi_mtl_portals4_irecv(struct mca_mtl_base_module_t* mtl,
     me.options = 
         PTL_ME_OP_PUT | 
         PTL_ME_USE_ONCE | 
-        PTL_ME_EVENT_LINK_DISABLE | /* BWB: FIX ME */
         PTL_ME_EVENT_UNLINK_DISABLE;
+    if (length <= ompi_mtl_portals4.eager_limit) {
+        me.options |= PTL_ME_EVENT_LINK_DISABLE;
+    }
     me.match_id = remote_proc;
     me.match_bits = match_bits;
     me.ignore_bits = ignore_bits;
@@ -394,6 +404,16 @@ ompi_mtl_portals4_irecv(struct mca_mtl_base_module_t* mtl,
         return ompi_mtl_portals4_get_error(ret);
     }
 
+    /* if a long message, spin until we either have a comm event or a
+       link event, guaranteeing progress for long unexpected
+       messages. */
+    if (length > ompi_mtl_portals4.eager_limit) {
+        while (true != ptl_request->req_started) {
+            ompi_mtl_portals4_progress();
+            opal_atomic_rmb();
+        }
+    }
+
     return OMPI_SUCCESS; 
 }
 
diff --git a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_request.h b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_request.h
index 359ddefac7..1287fbdb87 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_request.h
+++ b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals4/mtl_portals4_request.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ struct ompi_mtl_portals4_recv_request_t {
     struct opal_convertor_t *convertor;
     void *delivery_ptr;
     size_t delivery_len;
+    volatile bool req_started;
 #if OPAL_ENABLE_DEBUG
     int opcount;
     ptl_hdr_data_t hdr_data;