diff --git a/orte/mca/rmcast/base/rmcast_base_open.c b/orte/mca/rmcast/base/rmcast_base_open.c
index d587975a17..7c7a15cabe 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rmcast/base/rmcast_base_open.c
+++ b/orte/mca/rmcast/base/rmcast_base_open.c
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ orte_rmcast_module_t orte_rmcast = {
     NULL,
     NULL,
     NULL,
+    NULL,
     NULL
 };
 orte_rmcast_base_t orte_rmcast_base;
diff --git a/orte/mca/rmcast/basic/rmcast_basic.c b/orte/mca/rmcast/basic/rmcast_basic.c
index 191733a8e6..3073298c64 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rmcast/basic/rmcast_basic.c
+++ b/orte/mca/rmcast/basic/rmcast_basic.c
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ static int open_channel(orte_rmcast_channel_t *channel, char *name,
 
 static int close_channel(orte_rmcast_channel_t channel);
 
+static orte_rmcast_channel_t query(void);
+
 /* Define the module */
 
 orte_rmcast_module_t orte_rmcast_basic_module = {
@@ -98,7 +100,8 @@ orte_rmcast_module_t orte_rmcast_basic_module = {
     basic_recv_nb,
     cancel_recv,
     open_channel,
-    close_channel
+    close_channel,
+    query
 };
 
 /* during init, we setup two channels for both xmit and recv:
@@ -444,6 +447,23 @@ static int basic_recv_nb(orte_rmcast_channel_t channel,
         return ORTE_ERR_NOT_FOUND;
     }
     
+    /* do we already have a recv for this channel/tag/cbfunc? */
+    OPAL_THREAD_LOCK(&lock);
+    for (item = opal_list_get_first(&recvs);
+         item != opal_list_get_end(&recvs);
+         item = opal_list_get_next(item)) {
+        recvptr = (rmcast_base_recv_t*)item;
+        if (channel == recvptr->channel &&
+            tag == recvptr->tag &&
+            cbfunc == recvptr->cbfunc) {
+            /* matching recv in place */
+            OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((2, orte_rmcast_base.rmcast_output,
+                                 "%s rmcast:basic: matching recv_nb already active on multicast channel %03d.%03d.%03d.%03d",
+                                 ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME), OPAL_IF_FORMAT_ADDR(ch->network)));
+            return ORTE_SUCCESS;
+        }
+    }
+    
     OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((2, orte_rmcast_base.rmcast_output,
                          "%s rmcast:basic: recv_nb called on multicast channel %03d.%03d.%03d.%03d",
                          ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME), OPAL_IF_FORMAT_ADDR(ch->network)));
@@ -520,6 +540,11 @@ static int open_channel(orte_rmcast_channel_t *channel, char *name,
             if (0 != netaddr && netaddr != (nchan->network & netmask)) {
                 continue;
             }
+            /* check the channel, if one was given */
+            if (ORTE_RMCAST_INVALID_CHANNEL != *channel &&
+                nchan->channel != *channel) {
+                continue;
+            }
             chan = nchan;
             break;
         }
@@ -533,14 +558,19 @@ static int open_channel(orte_rmcast_channel_t *channel, char *name,
             ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
             return rc;
         }
-        *channel = chan->channel;
         return ORTE_SUCCESS;
     }
     
     /* we didn't find an existing match, so create a new channel */
     chan = OBJ_NEW(rmcast_base_channel_t);  /* puts it on list */
     chan->name = strdup(name);
-    chan->channel = next_channel++;
+    /* if we were given a channel, then just use it */
+    if (ORTE_RMCAST_INVALID_CHANNEL != *channel) {
+        chan->channel = *channel;
+    } else {
+        chan->channel = next_channel++;
+        *channel = chan->channel;
+    }
     /* if we were not given a network, use the default */
     if (NULL == network) {
         chan->network = orte_rmcast_base.xmit_network + chan->channel;
@@ -567,8 +597,6 @@ static int open_channel(orte_rmcast_channel_t *channel, char *name,
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
         return rc;
     }
-
-    *channel = chan->channel;
     
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -596,6 +624,14 @@ static int close_channel(orte_rmcast_channel_t channel)
     return ORTE_ERR_NOT_FOUND;
 }
 
+static orte_rmcast_channel_t query(void)
+{
+    return orte_rmcast_base.my_group_number;
+}
+
+
+/****    LOCAL FUNCTIONS    ****/
+
 static void process_recv(int fd, short event, void *cbdata)
 {
     orte_mcast_msg_event_t *mev = (orte_mcast_msg_event_t*)cbdata;
diff --git a/orte/mca/rmcast/rmcast.h b/orte/mca/rmcast/rmcast.h
index 32504b4021..0259bba11f 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rmcast/rmcast.h
+++ b/orte/mca/rmcast/rmcast.h
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ typedef int (*orte_rmcast_base_module_open_channel_fn_t)(orte_rmcast_channel_t *
 /* close the channel */
 typedef int (*orte_rmcast_base_module_close_channel_fn_t)(orte_rmcast_channel_t channel);
 
+/* return my group's channel */
+typedef orte_rmcast_channel_t (*orte_rmcast_base_module_query_channel_fn_t)(void);
+
 /*
  * rmcast component
  */
@@ -107,6 +110,7 @@ struct orte_rmcast_base_module_t {
     orte_rmcast_base_module_cancel_recv_fn_t    cancel_recv;
     orte_rmcast_base_module_open_channel_fn_t   open_channel;
     orte_rmcast_base_module_close_channel_fn_t  close_channel;
+    orte_rmcast_base_module_query_channel_fn_t  query_channel;
 };
 /** Convienence typedef */
 typedef struct orte_rmcast_base_module_t orte_rmcast_module_t;