diff --git a/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_frame.c b/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_frame.c
index 412cf29b3b..143163c290 100644
--- a/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_frame.c
+++ b/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_frame.c
@@ -189,9 +189,8 @@ static int opal_hwloc_base_open(mca_base_open_flag_t flags)
                 
         /* binding specification */
         if (NULL == opal_hwloc_base_binding_policy) {
+            /* default to bind-to core, and that no binding policy was specified */
             opal_hwloc_binding_policy = OPAL_BIND_TO_CORE;
-            /* mark that no binding policy was specified */
-            opal_hwloc_binding_policy &= ~OPAL_BIND_GIVEN;
         } else if (0 == strncasecmp(opal_hwloc_base_binding_policy, "none", strlen("none"))) {
             OPAL_SET_BINDING_POLICY(opal_hwloc_binding_policy, OPAL_BIND_TO_NONE);
         } else {
diff --git a/orte/mca/odls/default/odls_default_module.c b/orte/mca/odls/default/odls_default_module.c
index beb86a5292..bf01ae47fa 100644
--- a/orte/mca/odls/default/odls_default_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/odls/default/odls_default_module.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2010      IBM Corporation.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2011-2013 Los Alamos National Security, LLC.  All rights
  *                         reserved. 
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved
  *
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  *
@@ -441,9 +442,12 @@ static int do_child(orte_app_context_t* context,
                     if (NULL == msg) {
                         msg = "failed to convert bitmap list to hwloc bitmap";
                     }
-                    if (OPAL_BINDING_REQUIRED(jobdat->map->binding)) {
-                        /* If binding is required, send an error up the pipe (which exits
-                           -- it doesn't return). */
+                    if (OPAL_BINDING_REQUIRED(jobdat->map->binding) &&
+                        (OPAL_BIND_GIVEN & jobdat->map->binding)) {
+                        /* If binding is required and a binding directive was explicitly
+                         * given (i.e., we are not binding due to a default policy),
+                         * send an error up the pipe (which exits -- it doesn't return).
+                         */
                         send_error_show_help(write_fd, 1, "help-orte-odls-default.txt",
                                              "binding generic error",
                                              orte_process_info.nodename, 
@@ -459,7 +463,8 @@ static int do_child(orte_app_context_t* context,
                 }
                 /* bind as specified */
                 rc = hwloc_set_cpubind(opal_hwloc_topology, cpuset, 0);
-                if (rc < 0) {
+                /* if we got an error and this wasn't a default binding policy, then report it */
+                if (rc < 0  && (OPAL_BIND_GIVEN & jobdat->map->binding)) {
                     char *tmp = NULL;
                     if (errno == ENOSYS) {
                         msg = "hwloc indicates cpu binding not supported";
@@ -514,8 +519,11 @@ static int do_child(orte_app_context_t* context,
                     opal_unsetenv(param, &environ_copy);
                     free(param);
                 }
-                /* set memory affinity policy */
-                if (ORTE_SUCCESS != opal_hwloc_base_set_process_membind_policy()) {
+                /* set memory affinity policy - if we get an error, don't report
+                 * anything unless the user actually specified the binding policy
+                 */
+                rc = opal_hwloc_base_set_process_membind_policy();
+                if (ORTE_SUCCESS != rc  && (OPAL_BIND_GIVEN & jobdat->map->binding)) {
                     if (errno == ENOSYS) {
                         msg = "hwloc indicates memory binding not supported";
                     } else if (errno == EXDEV) {
diff --git a/orte/mca/rmaps/base/rmaps_base_binding.c b/orte/mca/rmaps/base/rmaps_base_binding.c
index 7e3eec83cb..54a2049ec8 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rmaps/base/rmaps_base_binding.c
+++ b/orte/mca/rmaps/base/rmaps_base_binding.c
@@ -134,10 +134,12 @@ static int bind_upwards(orte_job_t *jdata,
              * expected. Per hwloc, Linux memory binding is at the thread,
              * and not process, level. Thus, hwloc sets the "thisproc" flag
              * to "false" on all Linux systems, and uses the "thisthread" flag
-             * to indicate binding capability
+             * to indicate binding capability - don't warn if the user didn't
+             * specifically request binding
              */
             if (!support->membind->set_thisproc_membind &&
-                !support->membind->set_thisthread_membind) {
+                !support->membind->set_thisthread_membind &&
+                (OPAL_BIND_GIVEN & opal_hwloc_binding_policy)) {
                 if (OPAL_HWLOC_BASE_MBFA_WARN == opal_hwloc_base_mbfa && !membind_warned) {
                     orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "rmaps:membind-not-supported", true, node->name);
                     membind_warned = true;
@@ -148,13 +150,11 @@ static int bind_upwards(orte_job_t *jdata,
             }
         }
 
-        if (!orte_hetero_nodes) {
-            /* if the nodes are homogeneous, we share topologies in order
-             * to save space, so we need to reset the usage info to reflect
-             * our own current state
-             */
-            reset_usage(node, jdata->jobid);
-        }
+        /* we share topologies in order
+         * to save space, so we need to reset the usage info to reflect
+         * our own current state
+         */
+        reset_usage(node, jdata->jobid);
 
         /* cycle thru the procs */
         for (j=0; j < node->procs->size; j++) {
@@ -203,9 +203,12 @@ static int bind_upwards(orte_job_t *jdata,
                         orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "rmaps:no-available-cpus", true, node->name);
                         return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
                     }
-                    /* error out if adding a proc would cause overload and that wasn't allowed */
+                    /* error out if adding a proc would cause overload and that wasn't allowed,
+                     * and it wasn't a default binding policy (i.e., the user requested it)
+                     */
                     if (ncpus < data->num_bound &&
-                        !OPAL_BIND_OVERLOAD_ALLOWED(jdata->map->binding)) {
+                        !OPAL_BIND_OVERLOAD_ALLOWED(jdata->map->binding) &&
+                        (OPAL_BIND_GIVEN & opal_hwloc_binding_policy)) {
                         orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "rmaps:binding-overload", true,
                                        opal_hwloc_base_print_binding(map->binding), node->name,
                                        data->num_bound, ncpus);
@@ -294,10 +297,12 @@ static int bind_downwards(orte_job_t *jdata,
              * expected. Per hwloc, Linux memory binding is at the thread,
              * and not process, level. Thus, hwloc sets the "thisproc" flag
              * to "false" on all Linux systems, and uses the "thisthread" flag
-             * to indicate binding capability
+             * to indicate binding capability - don't warn if the user didn't
+             * specifically request binding
              */
             if (!support->membind->set_thisproc_membind &&
-                !support->membind->set_thisthread_membind) {
+                !support->membind->set_thisthread_membind &&
+                (OPAL_BIND_GIVEN & opal_hwloc_binding_policy)) {
                 if (OPAL_HWLOC_BASE_MBFA_WARN == opal_hwloc_base_mbfa && !membind_warned) {
                     orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "rmaps:membind-not-supported", true, node->name);
                     membind_warned = true;
@@ -309,13 +314,11 @@ static int bind_downwards(orte_job_t *jdata,
             }
         }
 
-        if (!orte_hetero_nodes) {
-            /* if the nodes are homogeneous, we share topologies in order
-             * to save space, so we need to reset the usage info to reflect
-             * our own current state
-             */
-            reset_usage(node, jdata->jobid);
-        }
+        /* we share topologies in order
+         * to save space, so we need to reset the usage info to reflect
+         * our own current state
+         */
+        reset_usage(node, jdata->jobid);
 
         /* cycle thru the procs */
         for (j=0; j < node->procs->size; j++) {
@@ -370,9 +373,12 @@ static int bind_downwards(orte_job_t *jdata,
                     trg_obj->userdata = data;
                 }
                 data->num_bound++;
-                /* error out if adding a proc would cause overload and that wasn't allowed */
+                /* error out if adding a proc would cause overload and that wasn't allowed,
+                 * and it wasn't a default binding policy (i.e., the user requested it)
+                 */
                 if (ncpus < data->num_bound &&
-                    !OPAL_BIND_OVERLOAD_ALLOWED(jdata->map->binding)) {
+                    !OPAL_BIND_OVERLOAD_ALLOWED(jdata->map->binding) &&
+                    (OPAL_BIND_GIVEN & opal_hwloc_binding_policy)) {
                     orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "rmaps:binding-overload", true,
                                    opal_hwloc_base_print_binding(map->binding), node->name,
                                    data->num_bound, ncpus);
@@ -458,10 +464,12 @@ static int bind_in_place(orte_job_t *jdata,
              * expected. Per hwloc, Linux memory binding is at the thread,
              * and not process, level. Thus, hwloc sets the "thisproc" flag
              * to "false" on all Linux systems, and uses the "thisthread" flag
-             * to indicate binding capability
+             * to indicate binding capability - don't warn if the user didn't
+             * specifically request binding
              */
             if (!support->membind->set_thisproc_membind &&
-                !support->membind->set_thisthread_membind) {
+                !support->membind->set_thisthread_membind &&
+                (OPAL_BIND_GIVEN & opal_hwloc_binding_policy)) {
                 if (OPAL_HWLOC_BASE_MBFA_WARN == opal_hwloc_base_mbfa && !membind_warned) {
                     orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "rmaps:membind-not-supported", true, node->name);
                     membind_warned = true;
@@ -472,13 +480,11 @@ static int bind_in_place(orte_job_t *jdata,
             }
         }
 
-        if (!orte_hetero_nodes) {
-            /* if the nodes are homogeneous, we share topologies in order
-             * to save space, so we need to reset the usage info to reflect
-             * our own current state
-             */
-            reset_usage(node, jdata->jobid);
-        }
+        /* we share topologies in order
+         * to save space, so we need to reset the usage info to reflect
+         * our own current state
+         */
+        reset_usage(node, jdata->jobid);
 
         /* cycle thru the procs */
         for (j=0; j < node->procs->size; j++) {
@@ -511,9 +517,12 @@ static int bind_in_place(orte_job_t *jdata,
                 orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "rmaps:no-available-cpus", true, node->name);
                 return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
             }
-            /* error out if adding a proc would cause overload and that wasn't allowed */
+            /* error out if adding a proc would cause overload and that wasn't allowed,
+             * and it wasn't a default binding policy (i.e., the user requested it)
+             */
             if (ncpus < data->num_bound &&
-                !OPAL_BIND_OVERLOAD_ALLOWED(jdata->map->binding)) {
+                !OPAL_BIND_OVERLOAD_ALLOWED(jdata->map->binding) &&
+                (OPAL_BIND_GIVEN & opal_hwloc_binding_policy)) {
                 orte_show_help("help-orte-rmaps-base.txt", "rmaps:binding-overload", true,
                                opal_hwloc_base_print_binding(map->binding), node->name,
                                data->num_bound, ncpus);