diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_module.c b/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_module.c
index 789357dc81..660d002c13 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_module.c
@@ -149,7 +149,8 @@ static int plm_alps_launch_job(orte_job_t *jdata)
     orte_node_t **nodes;
     orte_std_cntr_t nnode;
     orte_jobid_t failed_job;
-    
+    orte_job_state_t job_state = ORTE_JOB_NEVER_LAUNCHED;
+
     /* default to declaring the daemon launch failed */
     failed_job = ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME->jobid;
     
@@ -341,6 +342,9 @@ static int plm_alps_launch_job(orte_job_t *jdata)
         }        
     }
     
+    /* set the job state to indicate we attempted to launch */
+    job_state = ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START;
+
     /* exec the daemon(s) */
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = plm_alps_start_proc(argc, argv, env, cur_prefix))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
@@ -403,7 +407,7 @@ cleanup:
     
     /* check for failed launch - if so, force terminate */
     if (failed_launch) {
-        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START);
+        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, job_state);
     }
     
     return rc;
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c b/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c
index 198aa4bcaa..8b25144900 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c
@@ -244,6 +244,14 @@ void orte_plm_base_launch_failed(orte_jobid_t job, pid_t pid,
                          ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME),
                          ORTE_JOBID_PRINT(job)));
 
+    /* if we didn't even attempt to launch, then just quietly update
+     * the job record and leave
+     */
+    if (ORTE_JOB_NEVER_LAUNCHED == state) {
+        orte_never_launched = true;
+        goto PROCESS;
+    }
+    
     /* if this is the daemon job that failed, set the flag indicating
      * that a daemon failed so we use the proper
      * methods for attempting to shutdown the rest of the system
@@ -282,7 +290,7 @@ void orte_plm_base_launch_failed(orte_jobid_t job, pid_t pid,
         free(pidstr);
    }
     
-    
+PROCESS:
     /* Set the job state as indicated so orterun's exit status
        will be non-zero
      */
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/ccp/plm_ccp_module.c b/orte/mca/plm/ccp/plm_ccp_module.c
index 674a24a4b5..3454e24974 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/ccp/plm_ccp_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/ccp/plm_ccp_module.c
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ static int plm_ccp_launch_job(orte_job_t *jdata)
     JobPriority job_priority = JobPriority_Normal;
 
  	orte_jobid_t failed_job; 
+    orte_job_state_t job_state = ORTE_JOB_NEVER_LAUNCHED;
 
  	/* default to declaring the daemon launch failed */ 
  	failed_job = ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME->jobid; 
@@ -364,7 +365,10 @@ GETMAP:
 
     hr = pJob->SetExtendedJobTerm(_bstr_t(L"extended terms"), _bstr_t(L"TermValue"));
   
-    /* Iterate through each of the nodes and spin
+    /* set the job state to indicate we attempted to launch */
+    job_state = ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START;
+    
+     /* Iterate through each of the nodes and spin
      * up a daemon.
      */
     for (i = 0; i < map->num_nodes; i++) {
@@ -566,7 +570,7 @@ launch_apps:
 
     /* check for failed launch - if so, force terminate */
     if (failed_launch) {
-        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START);
+        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, job_state);
     }
         
     /* check for timing request - get stop time and process if so */
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/lsf/plm_lsf_module.c b/orte/mca/plm/lsf/plm_lsf_module.c
index 17feb3e482..50522a3d23 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/lsf/plm_lsf_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/lsf/plm_lsf_module.c
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ static int plm_lsf_launch_job(orte_job_t *jdata)
     orte_node_t **nodes;
     orte_std_cntr_t nnode;
     orte_jobid_t failed_job;
-    
+    orte_job_state_t job_state = ORTE_JOB_NEVER_LAUNCHED;
+
     /* default to declaring the daemons failed*/
     failed_job = ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME->jobid;
 
@@ -290,6 +291,9 @@ static int plm_lsf_launch_job(orte_job_t *jdata)
         }        
     }
     
+    /* set the job state to indicate we attempted to launch */
+    job_state = ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START;
+    
     /* lsb_launch tampers with SIGCHLD.
      * After the call to lsb_launch, the signal handler for SIGCHLD is NULL.
      * So, we disable the SIGCHLD handler of libevent for the duration of 
@@ -364,7 +368,7 @@ cleanup:
     
     /* check for failed launch - if so, force terminate */
     if (failed_launch) {
-        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START);
+        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, job_state);
     }
 
     return rc;
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/plm_types.h b/orte/mca/plm/plm_types.h
index 5b8929e560..8ff919391e 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/plm_types.h
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/plm_types.h
@@ -85,8 +85,14 @@ typedef uint16_t orte_job_state_t;
 #define ORTE_JOB_STATE_ABORTED_BY_SIG       0x0400  /* job was killed by a signal */
 #define ORTE_JOB_STATE_ABORTED_WO_SYNC      0x0800  /* job was aborted because proc exit'd w/o required sync */
 
+/* the job never even attempted to launch due to an error earlier in the
+ * launch procedure
+ */
+#define ORTE_JOB_NEVER_LAUNCHED             0x1000
+
 /* the processes in this job have been ordered to "die", but may not have completed it yet. Don't order it again */
-#define ORTE_JOB_STATE_ABORT_ORDERED        0x8000  
+#define ORTE_JOB_STATE_ABORT_ORDERED        0x8000
+
 
 /**
 * Node State, corresponding to the ORTE_NODE_STATE_* #defines,
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/process/plm_process_module.c b/orte/mca/plm/process/plm_process_module.c
index 5ac128d028..aa7307c64f 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/process/plm_process_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/process/plm_process_module.c
@@ -461,7 +461,8 @@ int orte_plm_process_launch(orte_job_t *jdata)
     orte_app_context_t **apps;
     orte_node_t **nodes;
     orte_std_cntr_t nnode;
-    
+    orte_job_state_t job_state = ORTE_JOB_NEVER_LAUNCHED;
+
     if (mca_plm_process_component.timing) {
         if (0 != gettimeofday(&joblaunchstart, NULL)) {
             opal_output(0, "plm_process: could not obtain start time");
@@ -607,6 +608,9 @@ int orte_plm_process_launch(orte_job_t *jdata)
     lib_base = opal_basename(opal_install_dirs.libdir);
     bin_base = opal_basename(opal_install_dirs.bindir);
 
+    /* set the job state to indicate we attempted to launch */
+    job_state = ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START;
+    
     /*
      * Iterate through each of the nodes
      */
@@ -860,7 +864,7 @@ launch_apps:
 
     /* check for failed launch - if so, force terminate */
     if( failed_launch ) {
-        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(jdata->jobid, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START);
+        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(jdata->jobid, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, job_state);
     }
 
     return rc;
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c b/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c
index 3fe24881d7..927b7861ba 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c
@@ -946,6 +946,7 @@ int orte_plm_rsh_launch(orte_job_t *jdata)
     orte_node_t **nodes;
     orte_std_cntr_t nnode;
     orte_jobid_t failed_job;
+    orte_job_state_t job_state = ORTE_JOB_NEVER_LAUNCHED;
     
     /* default to declaring the daemon launch as having failed */
     failed_job = ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME->jobid;
@@ -1088,6 +1089,9 @@ int orte_plm_rsh_launch(orte_job_t *jdata)
         find_children(0, 0, 0, jdatorted->num_procs);
     }
     
+    /* set the job state to indicate we attempted to launch */
+    job_state = ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START;
+    
     /*
      * Iterate through each of the nodes
      */
@@ -1237,7 +1241,7 @@ launch_apps:
 
     /* check for failed launch - if so, force terminate */
     if (failed_launch) {
-        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START);
+        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, job_state);
     }
 
     /* setup a "heartbeat" timer to periodically check on
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/slurm/plm_slurm_module.c b/orte/mca/plm/slurm/plm_slurm_module.c
index d258e55627..7fc06a2246 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/slurm/plm_slurm_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/slurm/plm_slurm_module.c
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ static int plm_slurm_launch_job(orte_job_t *jdata)
     struct timeval launchstart, launchstop;
     int proc_vpid_index;
     orte_jobid_t failed_job;
-    
+    orte_job_state_t job_state = ORTE_JOB_NEVER_LAUNCHED;
+
     /* flag the daemons as failing by default */
     failed_job = ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME->jobid;
     
@@ -334,6 +335,9 @@ static int plm_slurm_launch_job(orte_job_t *jdata)
         }
     }
 
+    /* set the job state to indicate we attempted to launch */
+    job_state = ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START;
+    
     /* setup environment */
     env = opal_argv_copy(orte_launch_environ);
 
@@ -406,7 +410,7 @@ cleanup:
     
     /* check for failed launch - if so, force terminate */
     if (failed_launch) {
-        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START);
+        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, job_state);
     }
     
     return rc;
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/tm/plm_tm_module.c b/orte/mca/plm/tm/plm_tm_module.c
index 6c09839d66..e510d6ed16 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/tm/plm_tm_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/tm/plm_tm_module.c
@@ -148,7 +148,8 @@ static int plm_tm_launch_job(orte_job_t *jdata)
     bool failed_launch = true;
     mode_t current_umask;
     orte_jobid_t failed_job;
-    
+    orte_job_state_t job_state = ORTE_JOB_NEVER_LAUNCHED;
+
     /* default to declaring the daemons as failed */
     failed_job = ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME->jobid;
     
@@ -273,6 +274,9 @@ static int plm_tm_launch_job(orte_job_t *jdata)
         }
     }
     
+    /* set the job state to indicate we attempted to launch */
+    job_state = ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START;
+    
     /* Iterate through each of the nodes and spin
      * up a daemon.
      */
@@ -413,7 +417,7 @@ launch_apps:
 
     /* check for failed launch - if so, force terminate */
     if (failed_launch) {
-        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START);
+        orte_plm_base_launch_failed(failed_job, -1, ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE, job_state);
     }
         
     /* setup a "heartbeat" timer to periodically check on
diff --git a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c
index f91836f12c..b5070e1605 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c
+++ b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ int orted_debug_failure;
 int orted_debug_failure_delay;
 bool orte_homogeneous_nodes = false;
 bool orte_hetero_apps = false;
+bool orte_never_launched = false;
 
 int32_t orte_contiguous_nodes;
 int orte_debug_output = -1;
diff --git a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h
index 8a0a9f3f34..8d80abbee5 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h
+++ b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h
@@ -380,6 +380,7 @@ ORTE_DECLSPEC extern int orted_debug_failure;
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern int orted_debug_failure_delay;
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern bool orte_homogeneous_nodes;
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern bool orte_hetero_apps;
+ORTE_DECLSPEC extern bool orte_never_launched;
 
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern char **orte_launch_environ;
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern opal_pointer_array_t orte_daemonmap;
diff --git a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
index 08da031455..3067dbf928 100644
--- a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
+++ b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
@@ -643,6 +643,14 @@ static void job_completed(int trigpipe, short event, void *arg)
     
     exit_state = jdata->state;
 
+    /* if we never launched, just skip this part to avoid
+     * meaningless error messages
+     */
+    if (orte_never_launched) {
+        rc = orte_exit_status;
+        goto DONE;
+    }
+    
     if (ORTE_JOB_STATE_TERMINATED != exit_state) {
         /* abnormal termination of some kind */
         dump_aborted_procs();