diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp.c b/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp.c
index 6e7e2f4e4c..0b41afa7b5 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp.c
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp.c
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ int mca_btl_tcp_add_procs( struct mca_btl_base_module_t* btl,
         tcp_endpoint = OBJ_NEW(mca_btl_tcp_endpoint_t);
         if(NULL == tcp_endpoint) {
             OPAL_THREAD_UNLOCK(&tcp_proc->proc_lock);
-            OBJ_RELEASE(opal_proc);
             return OPAL_ERR_OUT_OF_RESOURCE;
         }
 
@@ -106,7 +105,6 @@ int mca_btl_tcp_add_procs( struct mca_btl_base_module_t* btl,
         rc = mca_btl_tcp_proc_insert(tcp_proc, tcp_endpoint);
         if(rc != OPAL_SUCCESS) {
             OPAL_THREAD_UNLOCK(&tcp_proc->proc_lock);
-            OBJ_RELEASE(opal_proc);
             OBJ_RELEASE(tcp_endpoint);
             continue;
         }
diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp_proc.c b/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp_proc.c
index 4ae02169b0..b7a49f65bc 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp_proc.c
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp_proc.c
@@ -76,12 +76,15 @@ void mca_btl_tcp_proc_construct(mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* tcp_proc)
 
 void mca_btl_tcp_proc_destruct(mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* tcp_proc)
 {
-    /* remove from list of all proc instances */
-    OPAL_THREAD_LOCK(&mca_btl_tcp_component.tcp_lock);
-    opal_hash_table_remove_value_uint64(&mca_btl_tcp_component.tcp_procs, 
-                                        tcp_proc->proc_opal->proc_name);
-    OPAL_THREAD_UNLOCK(&mca_btl_tcp_component.tcp_lock);
-
+    if( NULL != tcp_proc->proc_opal ) {
+        /* remove from list of all proc instances */
+        OPAL_THREAD_LOCK(&mca_btl_tcp_component.tcp_lock);
+        opal_hash_table_remove_value_uint64(&mca_btl_tcp_component.tcp_procs, 
+                                            tcp_proc->proc_opal->proc_name);
+        OPAL_THREAD_UNLOCK(&mca_btl_tcp_component.tcp_lock);
+        /* Do not OBJ_RELEASE the proc_opal ! */
+        /* OBJ_RELEASE(tcp_proc->proc_opal); */
+    }
     /* release resources */
     if(NULL != tcp_proc->proc_endpoints) {
         free(tcp_proc->proc_endpoints);
@@ -97,7 +100,7 @@ void mca_btl_tcp_proc_destruct(mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* tcp_proc)
  * datastructure.
  */
 
-mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* mca_btl_tcp_proc_create(const opal_proc_t* proc)
+mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* mca_btl_tcp_proc_create(opal_proc_t* proc)
 {
     uint64_t hash = proc->proc_name;
     mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* btl_proc;
@@ -116,6 +119,7 @@ mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* mca_btl_tcp_proc_create(const opal_proc_t* proc)
     if(NULL == btl_proc)
         return NULL;
     btl_proc->proc_opal = proc;
+    OBJ_RETAIN(btl_proc->proc_opal);
 
     /* add to hash table of all proc instance */
     opal_hash_table_set_value_uint64(&mca_btl_tcp_component.tcp_procs,
@@ -683,7 +687,7 @@ int mca_btl_tcp_proc_insert( mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* btl_proc,
  * Remove an endpoint from the proc array and indicate the address is
  * no longer in use.
  */
-                                                                                                                 
+
 int mca_btl_tcp_proc_remove(mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* btl_proc, mca_btl_base_endpoint_t* btl_endpoint)
 {
     size_t i;
diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp_proc.h b/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp_proc.h
index 9e5c13b4c7..14548386dc 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp_proc.h
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/tcp/btl_tcp_proc.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ struct mca_btl_tcp_proc_t {
     opal_list_item_t super;
     /**< allow proc to be placed on a list */
 
-    const opal_proc_t *proc_opal;
+    opal_proc_t *proc_opal;
     /**< pointer to corresponding opal_proc_t */
 
     struct mca_btl_tcp_addr_t* proc_addrs;
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ enum mca_btl_tcp_connection_quality {
 };
 
 
-mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* mca_btl_tcp_proc_create(const opal_proc_t* proc);
+mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* mca_btl_tcp_proc_create(opal_proc_t* proc);
 mca_btl_tcp_proc_t* mca_btl_tcp_proc_lookup(const opal_process_name_t* name);
 int  mca_btl_tcp_proc_insert(mca_btl_tcp_proc_t*, mca_btl_base_endpoint_t*);
 int  mca_btl_tcp_proc_remove(mca_btl_tcp_proc_t*, mca_btl_base_endpoint_t*);