diff --git a/src/mca/ns/base/base.h b/src/mca/ns/base/base.h
index 6dc4563671..a74374385f 100644
--- a/src/mca/ns/base/base.h
+++ b/src/mca/ns/base/base.h
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ OMPI_DECLSPEC    mca_ns_base_jobid_t mca_ns_base_create_jobid_not_available(void
 OMPI_DECLSPEC    mca_ns_base_vpid_t mca_ns_base_get_vpid_range_not_available(mca_ns_base_jobid_t job,
                                                                              mca_ns_base_vpid_t range);
 
+OMPI_DECLSPEC    mca_ns_base_vpid_t mca_ns_base_derive_vpid(mca_ns_base_vpid_t base_vpid, int offset);
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/mca/ns/base/ns_base_local_fns.c b/src/mca/ns/base/ns_base_local_fns.c
index 7fa431fe71..b5fd2ec0b3 100644
--- a/src/mca/ns/base/ns_base_local_fns.c
+++ b/src/mca/ns/base/ns_base_local_fns.c
@@ -92,6 +92,12 @@ ompi_process_name_t* mca_ns_base_create_process_name(mca_ns_base_cellid_t cell,
     return(newname);
 }
 
+mca_ns_base_vpid_t mca_ns_base_derive_vpid(mca_ns_base_vpid_t base_vpid, int offset)
+{
+    return (base_vpid + (mca_ns_base_vpid_t)offset);
+}
+
+
 ompi_process_name_t* mca_ns_base_copy_process_name(ompi_process_name_t* name)
 {
     mca_ns_base_cellid_t cell;
diff --git a/src/mca/ns/ns.h b/src/mca/ns/ns.h
index f87d596050..42226c12f2 100644
--- a/src/mca/ns/ns.h
+++ b/src/mca/ns/ns.h
@@ -219,6 +219,14 @@ typedef mca_ns_base_jobid_t (*mca_ns_base_module_create_jobid_fn_t)(void);
  */
 typedef ompi_process_name_t* (*mca_ns_base_module_create_proc_name_fn_t)(mca_ns_base_cellid_t cell, mca_ns_base_jobid_t job, mca_ns_base_vpid_t vpid);
 
+/**
+ * Derive a process vpid.
+ * Given a base vpid and an offset, return the computed equivalent vpid. This function
+ * is required because the vpid may not be an integer - need to provide a means for
+ * computing the resulting vpid in case it isn't.
+ */
+typedef mca_ns_base_vpid_t (*mca_ns_base_module_derive_vpid_fn_t)(mca_ns_base_vpid_t base_vpid, int offset);
+
 /**
  * Make a copy of a process name.
  * Given a process name, this function creates a copy of it and returns a pointer
@@ -726,6 +734,7 @@ struct mca_ns_base_module_1_0_0_t {
     mca_ns_base_module_unpack_cellid_fn_t unpack_cellid;
     mca_ns_base_module_pack_jobid_fn_t pack_jobid;
     mca_ns_base_module_unpack_jobid_fn_t unpack_jobid;
+    mca_ns_base_module_derive_vpid_fn_t derive_vpid;
 };
 
 typedef struct mca_ns_base_module_1_0_0_t mca_ns_base_module_1_0_0_t;
diff --git a/src/mca/ns/proxy/src/ns_proxy_component.c b/src/mca/ns/proxy/src/ns_proxy_component.c
index 78a3adc4f7..db8f78a546 100644
--- a/src/mca/ns/proxy/src/ns_proxy_component.c
+++ b/src/mca/ns/proxy/src/ns_proxy_component.c
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ static mca_ns_base_module_t mca_ns_proxy = {
     mca_ns_base_pack_cellid,
     mca_ns_base_unpack_cellid,
     mca_ns_base_pack_jobid,
-    mca_ns_base_unpack_jobid
+    mca_ns_base_unpack_jobid,
+    mca_ns_base_derive_vpid
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/mca/ns/replica/src/ns_replica_component.c b/src/mca/ns/replica/src/ns_replica_component.c
index 3931c89f70..173afe3d44 100644
--- a/src/mca/ns/replica/src/ns_replica_component.c
+++ b/src/mca/ns/replica/src/ns_replica_component.c
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ static mca_ns_base_module_t mca_ns_replica = {
     mca_ns_base_pack_name,
     mca_ns_base_unpack_name,
     mca_ns_base_pack_jobid,
-    mca_ns_base_unpack_jobid
+    mca_ns_base_unpack_jobid,
+    mca_ns_base_derive_vpid
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/mca/soh/base/Makefile.am b/src/mca/soh/base/Makefile.am
index caf8499125..1aff677a91 100644
--- a/src/mca/soh/base/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/mca/soh/base/Makefile.am
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ libmca_soh_base_la_SOURCES = \
         $(headers) \
         soh_base_close.c \
         soh_base_select.c \
+        soh_base_local_functions.c \
         soh_base_open.c
 
 
diff --git a/src/mca/soh/base/base.h b/src/mca/soh/base/base.h
index 97dc7d0b03..d4b4c98a65 100644
--- a/src/mca/soh/base/base.h
+++ b/src/mca/soh/base/base.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
  */
 #include "ompi_config.h"
 
+#include "include/constants.h"
 #include "class/ompi_list.h"
 #include "mca/mca.h"
 
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ OMPI_DECLSPEC    int mca_soh_base_open(void);
 OMPI_DECLSPEC    int mca_soh_base_select(bool *allow_multi_user_threads,
 			                            bool *have_hidden_threads);
 OMPI_DECLSPEC    int mca_soh_base_close(void);
-
+OMPI_DECLSPEC    int mca_soh_base_update_cell_soh_not_available(mca_ns_base_cellid_t cellid);
 
 /*
  * globals that might be needed
diff --git a/src/mca/soh/base/soh_base_local_functions.c b/src/mca/soh/base/soh_base_local_functions.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cb98bd13d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mca/soh/base/soh_base_local_functions.c
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Trustees of Indiana University.
+ *                         All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Trustees of the University of Tennessee.
+ *                         All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart, 
+ *                         University of Stuttgart.  All rights reserved.
+ * $COPYRIGHT$
+ * 
+ * Additional copyrights may follow
+ * 
+ * $HEADER$
+ */
+/** @file:
+ */
+
+/*
+ * includes
+ */
+#include "ompi_config.h"
+
+#include "class/ompi_list.h"
+#include "mca/mca.h"
+
+#include "mca/soh/base/base.h"
+
+int mca_soh_base_update_cell_soh_not_available(mca_ns_base_cellid_t cellid)
+{
+    return OMPI_ERR_NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
+}
diff --git a/src/mca/soh/base/soh_base_open.c b/src/mca/soh/base/soh_base_open.c
index 2a1f56f685..e3de6f7a95 100644
--- a/src/mca/soh/base/soh_base_open.c
+++ b/src/mca/soh/base/soh_base_open.c
@@ -43,11 +43,7 @@
  */
 int mca_soh_base_output = -1;
 mca_soh_base_module_t ompi_soh_monitor = {
-#if RALPH_NEEDS_TO_FIX
-    mca_soh_base_update_cell_soh_not_available;
-#else
-    NULL
-#endif
+    mca_soh_base_update_cell_soh_not_available
 };
 bool mca_soh_base_selected = false;
 ompi_list_t mca_soh_base_components_available;