diff --git a/orte/runtime/orte_finalize.c b/orte/runtime/orte_finalize.c
index 85bd613c3d..b9a39ff98e 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/orte_finalize.c
+++ b/orte/runtime/orte_finalize.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "orte/runtime/orte_globals.h"
 #include "orte/runtime/runtime.h"
 #include "orte/runtime/orte_locks.h"
+#include "orte/util/name_fns.h"
 #include "orte/util/show_help.h"
 
 /**
@@ -44,7 +45,13 @@
  */
 int orte_finalize(void)
 {
-    if (!orte_initialized) {
+    --orte_initialized;
+    if (0 != orte_initialized) {
+        /* check for mismatched calls */
+        if (0 > orte_initialized) {
+            opal_output(0, "%s MISMATCHED CALLS TO ORTE FINALIZE",
+                        ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME));
+        }
         return ORTE_SUCCESS;
     }
 
@@ -99,6 +106,5 @@ int orte_finalize(void)
     /* finalize the opal utilities */
     opal_finalize();
     
-    orte_initialized = false;
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/orte/runtime/orte_init.c b/orte/runtime/orte_init.c
index 732cc46ac9..2f84245dc7 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/orte_init.c
+++ b/orte/runtime/orte_init.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 /*
  * Whether we have completed orte_init or we are in orte_finalize
  */
-bool orte_initialized = false;
+int orte_initialized = 0;
 bool orte_finalizing = false;
 bool orte_debug_flag = false;
 int orte_debug_verbosity;
@@ -96,9 +96,12 @@ int orte_init(int* pargc, char*** pargv, orte_proc_type_t flags)
     int ret;
     char *error = NULL;
 
-    if (orte_initialized) {
+    if (0 < orte_initialized) {
+        /* track number of times we have been called */
+        orte_initialized++;
         return ORTE_SUCCESS;
     }
+    orte_initialized++;
 
     /* initialize the opal layer */
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_init(pargc, pargv))) {
@@ -196,7 +199,6 @@ int orte_init(int* pargc, char*** pargv, orte_proc_type_t flags)
     }
     
     /* All done */
-    orte_initialized = true;
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;
     
  error:
diff --git a/orte/runtime/runtime.h b/orte/runtime/runtime.h
index 60578d71d0..50047c7a2c 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/runtime.h
+++ b/orte/runtime/runtime.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ ORTE_DECLSPEC extern const char orte_version_string[];
 /**
  * Whether ORTE is initialized or we are in orte_finalize
  */
-ORTE_DECLSPEC extern bool orte_initialized;
+ORTE_DECLSPEC extern int orte_initialized;
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern bool orte_finalizing;
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern int orte_debug_output;
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern bool orte_debug_flag;