diff --git a/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic.c b/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic.c
index 14f2c23312..c00bf0eade 100644
--- a/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic.c
+++ b/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic.c
@@ -134,12 +134,8 @@ int mca_coll_basic_init_query(bool *allow_multi_user_threads,
 const mca_coll_base_module_1_0_0_t *
 mca_coll_basic_comm_query(struct ompi_communicator_t *comm, int *priority)
 {
-  int param;
-
-  /* Use a low priority, but allow other components to be lower */
-
-  param = mca_base_param_register_int("coll", "basic", "priority", NULL, 10);
-  if (OMPI_SUCCESS != mca_base_param_lookup_int(param, priority)) {
+  if (OMPI_SUCCESS != mca_base_param_lookup_int(mca_coll_basic_priority_param,
+                                                priority)) {
     return NULL;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic.h b/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic.h
index aea35c5324..52b6c59c4c 100644
--- a/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic.h
+++ b/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
  */
 
 extern const mca_coll_base_component_1_0_0_t mca_coll_basic_component;
+extern int mca_coll_basic_priority_param;
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic_component.c b/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic_component.c
index 62cffc10d7..cefaf01d2a 100644
--- a/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic_component.c
+++ b/src/mca/coll/basic/coll_basic_component.c
@@ -22,6 +22,16 @@
 const char *mca_coll_basic_component_version_string =
   "Open MPI basic collective MCA component version " MCA_coll_basic_FULL_VERSION;
 
+/*
+ * Global variable
+ */
+int mca_coll_basic_priority_param = -1;
+
+/*
+ * Local function
+ */
+static int basic_open(void);
+
 /*
  * Instantiate the public struct with all of our public information
  * and pointers to our public functions in it
@@ -47,7 +57,7 @@ const mca_coll_base_component_1_0_0_t mca_coll_basic_component = {
 
     /* Component open and close functions */
 
-    NULL,
+    basic_open,
     NULL
   },
 
@@ -65,3 +75,14 @@ const mca_coll_base_component_1_0_0_t mca_coll_basic_component = {
   mca_coll_basic_comm_query,
   NULL
 };
+
+
+static int basic_open(void)
+{
+    /* Use a low priority, but allow other components to be lower */
+    
+    mca_coll_basic_priority_param = 
+        mca_base_param_register_int("coll", "basic", "priority", NULL, 10);
+
+    return OMPI_SUCCESS;
+}