diff --git a/config/opal_check_attributes.m4 b/config/opal_check_attributes.m4
index 6161ff084e..a549c74f4c 100644
--- a/config/opal_check_attributes.m4
+++ b/config/opal_check_attributes.m4
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@
 AC_DEFUN([_OMPI_ATTRIBUTE_FAIL_SEARCH],[
     AC_REQUIRE([AC_PROG_GREP])
     if test -s conftest.err ; then
-        for i in ignore skip ; do
+        # icc uses 'invalid attribute' and 'attribute "__XXX__"  ignored'
+        for i in invalid ignore skip ; do
             $GREP -iq $i conftest.err
             if test "$?" = "0" ; then
                 opal_cv___attribute__[$1]=0
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([_OMPI_CHECK_SPECIFIC_ATTRIBUTE], [
                            ],[opal_cv___attribute__[$1]=0])
             AC_LANG_POP(C++)
         fi
-        
+
         #
         # If the attribute is supported by both compilers,
         # try to recompile a *cross-check*, IFF defined.
@@ -189,6 +190,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_ATTRIBUTES], [
     opal_cv___attribute__const=0
     opal_cv___attribute__deprecated=0
     opal_cv___attribute__format=0
+    opal_cv___attribute__format_funcptr=0
     opal_cv___attribute__hot=0
     opal_cv___attribute__malloc=0
     opal_cv___attribute__may_alias=0
@@ -270,6 +272,32 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_ATTRIBUTES], [
         ],
         [$ATTRIBUTE_CFLAGS])
 
+    ATTRIBUTE_CFLAGS=
+    case "$ompi_c_vendor" in
+        gnu)
+            ATTRIBUTE_CFLAGS="-Wall"
+            ;;
+        intel)
+            # we want specifically the warning on format string conversion
+            ATTRIBUTE_CFLAGS="-we181"
+            ;;
+    esac
+    _OMPI_CHECK_SPECIFIC_ATTRIBUTE([format_funcptr],
+        [
+         int (*this_printf)(void *my_object, const char *my_format, ...) __attribute__ ((__format__ (__printf__, 2, 3)));
+        ],
+        [
+         static int usage (int * argument);
+         extern int (*this_printf) (int arg1, const char *my_format, ...) __attribute__ ((__format__ (__printf__, 2, 3)));
+
+         static int usage (int * argument) {
+             return (*this_printf) (*argument, "%d", argument); /* This should produce a format warning */
+         }
+         /* The autoconf-generated main-function is int main(), which produces a warning by itself */
+         int main(void);
+        ],
+        [$ATTRIBUTE_CFLAGS])
+
     _OMPI_CHECK_SPECIFIC_ATTRIBUTE([hot],
         [
          int foo(int arg1, int arg2) __attribute__ ((__hot__));
@@ -488,6 +516,8 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_ATTRIBUTES], [
                      [Whether your compiler has __attribute__ deprecated or not])
   AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(OPAL_HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_FORMAT, [$opal_cv___attribute__format],
                      [Whether your compiler has __attribute__ format or not])
+  AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(OPAL_HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_FORMAT_FUNCPTR, [$opal_cv___attribute__format_funcptr],
+                     [Whether your compiler has __attribute__ format and it works on function pointers])
   AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(OPAL_HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_HOT, [$opal_cv___attribute__hot],
                      [Whether your compiler has __attribute__ hot or not])
   AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(OPAL_HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_MALLOC, [$opal_cv___attribute__malloc],
diff --git a/orte/mca/errmgr/errmgr.h b/orte/mca/errmgr/errmgr.h
index 445dc9f229..23d1fa5112 100644
--- a/orte/mca/errmgr/errmgr.h
+++ b/orte/mca/errmgr/errmgr.h
@@ -130,7 +130,11 @@ typedef int (*orte_errmgr_base_module_register_cb_fn_t)(orte_jobid_t job,
  * itself, and then exit - it takes no other actions. The intent here is to provide
  * a last-ditch exit procedure that attempts to clean up a little.
  */
-typedef void (*orte_errmgr_base_module_abort_fn_t)(int error_code, char *fmt, ...) __opal_attribute_noreturn__ __opal_attribute_format__(__printf__, 2, 3);
+typedef void (*orte_errmgr_base_module_abort_fn_t)(int error_code, char *fmt, ...) __opal_attribute_noreturn__
+#   if OPAL_HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_FORMAT_FUNCPTR
+    __opal_attribute_format__(__printf__, 2, 3);
+#   endif
+    ;
 
 /*
  * 
diff --git a/orte/mca/notifier/notifier.h b/orte/mca/notifier/notifier.h
index f7182c45fd..6a8f65020e 100644
--- a/orte/mca/notifier/notifier.h
+++ b/orte/mca/notifier/notifier.h
@@ -70,13 +70,21 @@ typedef int (*orte_notifier_base_module_init_fn_t)(void);
 typedef void (*orte_notifier_base_module_finalize_fn_t)(void);
 
 /* Log a failure message */
-typedef void (*orte_notifier_base_module_log_fn_t)(int severity, int errcode, const char *msg, ...) __opal_attribute_format__(__printf__, 3, 4);
+typedef void (*orte_notifier_base_module_log_fn_t)(int severity, int errcode, const char *msg, ...)
+#   if OPAL_HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_FORMAT_FUNCPTR
+    __opal_attribute_format__(__printf__, 3, 4)
+#   endif
+    ;
 
 /* Log a failure that is based upon a show_help message */
 typedef void (*orte_notifier_base_module_log_show_help_fn_t)(int severity, int errcode, const char *file, const char *topic, ...);
 
 /* Log a failure related to a peer */
-typedef void (*orte_notifier_base_module_log_peer_fn_t)(int severity, int errcode, orte_process_name_t *peer_proc, const char *msg, ...) __opal_attribute_format__(__printf__, 4, 5);
+typedef void (*orte_notifier_base_module_log_peer_fn_t)(int severity, int errcode, orte_process_name_t *peer_proc, const char *msg, ...)
+#   if OPAL_HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_FORMAT_FUNCPTR
+    __opal_attribute_format__(__printf__, 4, 5)
+#   endif
+    ;
 
 /*
  * Ver 1.0