diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d103ab170a..1d5bc2909b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -799,6 +799,31 @@ m4_ifdef([project_ompi], [OMPI_FIND_MPI_AINT_COUNT_OFFSET])
 # checkpoint results
 AC_CACHE_SAVE
 
+##################################
+# Linker characteristics
+##################################
+
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([the linker for support for the -fini option])
+LDFLAGS_save=$LDFLAGS
+LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS_save -Wl,-fini -Wl,finalize"
+AC_TRY_LINK([void finalize (void) {}], [], [AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
+        opal_ld_have_fini=1], [AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+        opal_ld_have_fini=0])
+LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS_save
+
+opal_destructor_use_fini=0
+opal_no_destructor=0
+if test x$opal_cv___attribute__destructor = x0 ; then
+    if test x$opal_ld_have_fini = x1 ; then
+        opal_destructor_use_fini=1
+    else
+        opal_no_destructor=1;
+    fi
+fi
+
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(OPAL_NO_LIB_DESTRUCTOR, [$opal_no_destructor],
+    [Whether libraries can be configured with destructor functions])
+AM_CONDITIONAL(OPAL_DESTRUCTOR_USE_FINI, [test x$opal_destructor_use_fini = x1])
 
 ##################################
 # Libraries
diff --git a/opal/Makefile.am b/opal/Makefile.am
index 360474ab0e..dddfe4b6cb 100644
--- a/opal/Makefile.am
+++ b/opal/Makefile.am
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ lib@OPAL_LIB_PREFIX@open_pal_la_LIBADD = \
 lib@OPAL_LIB_PREFIX@open_pal_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(lib@OPAL_LIB_PREFIX@open_pal_la_LIBADD)
 lib@OPAL_LIB_PREFIX@open_pal_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info $(libopen_pal_so_version)
 
+if OPAL_DESTRUCTOR_USE_FINI
+
+lib@OPAL_LIB_PREFIX@open_pal_la_LDFLAGS += -Wl,-fini -Wl,opal_cleanup
+
+endif
+
 # included subdirectory Makefile.am's and appended-to variables
 headers =
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES =
diff --git a/opal/runtime/opal_finalize.c b/opal/runtime/opal_finalize.c
index dc583e4424..0105d66069 100644
--- a/opal/runtime/opal_finalize.c
+++ b/opal/runtime/opal_finalize.c
@@ -57,6 +57,18 @@
 
 extern int opal_initialized;
 extern int opal_util_initialized;
+extern bool opal_init_called;
+
+static void __opal_attribute_destructor__ opal_cleanup (void)
+{
+    if (!opal_initialized) {
+        /* nothing to do */
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* finalize the class/object system */
+    opal_class_finalize();
+}
 
 int
 opal_finalize_util(void)
@@ -101,8 +113,9 @@ opal_finalize_util(void)
 
     opal_datatype_finalize();
 
-    /* finalize the class/object system */
-    opal_class_finalize();
+#if OPAL_NO_LIB_DESTRUCTOR
+    opal_cleanup ();
+#endif
 
     free (opal_process_info.nodename);
     opal_process_info.nodename = NULL;
diff --git a/opal/runtime/opal_init.c b/opal/runtime/opal_init.c
index f2c681f7cf..f2f36179bb 100644
--- a/opal/runtime/opal_init.c
+++ b/opal/runtime/opal_init.c
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
 const char opal_version_string[] = OPAL_IDENT_STRING;
 
 int opal_initialized = 0;
+bool opal_init_called = false;
 int opal_util_initialized = 0;
 /* We have to put a guess in here in case hwloc is not available.  If
    hwloc is available, this value will be overwritten when the
@@ -266,6 +267,18 @@ opal_init_util(int* pargc, char*** pargv)
         return OPAL_SUCCESS;
     }
 
+#if OPAL_NO_LIB_DESTRUCTOR
+    if (opal_init_called) {
+        /* can't use show_help here */
+        fprintf (stderr, "opal_init_util: attempted to initialize after finalize without compiler "
+                 "support for either __attribute__(destructor) or linker support for -fini -- process "
+                 "will likely abort\n");
+        return OPAL_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED;
+    }
+#endif
+
+    opal_init_called = true;
+
     /* set the nodename right away so anyone who needs it has it. Note
      * that we don't bother with fqdn and prefix issues here - we let
      * the RTE later replace this with a modified name if the user