diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh.h b/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh.h
index 0b46177f67..97adc92fb0 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh.h
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ struct orte_plm_rsh_component_t {
     bool daemonize_llspawn;
     struct timespec delay;
     int priority;
-    bool tree_spawn;
+    bool no_tree_spawn;
     int num_concurrent;
     char *agent;
     bool assume_same_shell;
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_component.c b/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_component.c
index f24ac73552..9576f6c948 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_component.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_component.c
@@ -165,13 +165,13 @@ static int rsh_component_register(void)
                                             MCA_BASE_VAR_SCOPE_READONLY,
                                             &mca_plm_rsh_delay_string);
 
-    mca_plm_rsh_component.tree_spawn = false;
+    mca_plm_rsh_component.no_tree_spawn = false;
     (void) mca_base_component_var_register (c, "no_tree_spawn",
                                             "If set to true, do not launch via a tree-based topology",
                                             MCA_BASE_VAR_TYPE_BOOL, NULL, 0, 0,
                                             OPAL_INFO_LVL_9,
                                             MCA_BASE_VAR_SCOPE_READONLY,
-                                            &mca_plm_rsh_component.tree_spawn);
+                                            &mca_plm_rsh_component.no_tree_spawn);
 
     /* local rsh/ssh launch agent */
     mca_plm_rsh_component.agent = strdup ("ssh : rsh");
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ static int rsh_component_query(mca_base_module_t **module, int *priority)
         free(tmp);
         mca_plm_rsh_component.using_qrsh = true;
         /* no tree spawn allowed under qrsh */
-        mca_plm_rsh_component.tree_spawn = false;
+        mca_plm_rsh_component.no_tree_spawn = true;
         goto success; 
     } else if (!mca_plm_rsh_component.disable_llspawn &&
                NULL != getenv("LOADL_STEP_ID")) { 
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c b/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c
index f8af9b6aa4..4d73cb747b 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ static int setup_launch(int *argcptr, char ***argvptr,
     /* if we are not tree launching or debugging, tell the daemon
      * to daemonize so we can launch the next group
      */
-    if (!mca_plm_rsh_component.tree_spawn &&
+    if (mca_plm_rsh_component.no_tree_spawn &&
         !orte_debug_flag &&
         !orte_debug_daemons_flag &&
         !orte_debug_daemons_file_flag &&
@@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@ static void launch_daemons(int fd, short args, void *cbdata)
     }
             
     /* if we are tree launching, find our children and create the launch cmd */
-    if (mca_plm_rsh_component.tree_spawn) {
+    if (!mca_plm_rsh_component.no_tree_spawn) {
         orte_daemon_cmd_flag_t command = ORTE_DAEMON_TREE_SPAWN;
         opal_byte_object_t bo, *boptr;
         orte_job_t *jdatorted;
@@ -1144,7 +1144,7 @@ static void launch_daemons(int fd, short args, void *cbdata)
         }
         
         /* if we are tree launching, only launch our own children */
-        if (mca_plm_rsh_component.tree_spawn) {
+        if (!mca_plm_rsh_component.no_tree_spawn) {
             for (item = opal_list_get_first(&coll.targets);
                  item != opal_list_get_end(&coll.targets);
                  item = opal_list_get_next(item)) {