diff --git a/orte/mca/pls/tm/pls_tm_module.c b/orte/mca/pls/tm/pls_tm_module.c
index 1dc674e651..2b886d4869 100644
--- a/orte/mca/pls/tm/pls_tm_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/pls/tm/pls_tm_module.c
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@
 #ifdef HAVE_SYS_TYPES_H
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #endif
+#ifdef HAVE_SYS_STAT_H
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#endif
 #ifdef HAVE_SYS_WAIT_H
 #include <sys/wait.h>
 #endif
@@ -139,6 +142,7 @@ static int pls_tm_launch_job(orte_jobid_t jobid)
     int maxtime=0, mintime=99999999, maxiter = 0, miniter = 0, deltat;
     float avgtime=0.0;
     bool failed_launch = true;
+    mode_t current_umask;
     
     /* check for timing request - get start time if so */
     if (mca_pls_tm_component.timing) {
@@ -236,6 +240,12 @@ static int pls_tm_launch_job(orte_jobid_t jobid)
      * won't work on remote nodes
      */
     orte_pls_base_purge_mca_params(&env);
+
+    /* add our umask -- see big note in orted.c */
+    current_umask = umask(0);
+    umask(current_umask);
+    asprintf(&var, "0%o", current_umask);
+    opal_setenv("ORTE_DAEMON_UMASK_VALUE", var, true, &env);
     
     /* If we have a prefix, then modify the PATH and
         LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variables. We only allow
diff --git a/orte/tools/orted/orted.c b/orte/tools/orted/orted.c
index d604a72946..421ccce7ee 100644
--- a/orte/tools/orted/orted.c
+++ b/orte/tools/orted/orted.c
@@ -19,9 +19,44 @@
  * $HEADER$
  */
 
+#include "orte_config.h"
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#ifdef HAVE_LIMITS_H
+#include <limits.h>
+#endif
+#ifdef HAVE_SYS_TYPES_H
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#endif
+#ifdef HAVE_SYS_STAT_H
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#endif
+#include <stdio.h>
+
 #include "orte/orted/orted.h"
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    /* Allow the PLS starters to pass us a umask to use, if required.
+       Most starters by default can do something sane with the umask,
+       but some (like TM) do not pass on the umask but instead inherit
+       it form the root level process starter.  This has to happen
+       before opal_init and everything else so that the couple of
+       places that stash a umask end up with the correct value.  Only
+       do it here (and not in orte_daemon) mainly to make it clear
+       that this should only happen when starting an orted for the
+       first time.  All startes I'm aware of that don't require an
+       orted are smart enough to pass on a reasonable umask, so they
+       wouldn't need this functionality anyway. */
+    char *umask_str = getenv("ORTE_DAEMON_UMASK_VALUE");
+    if (NULL != umask_str) {
+        char *endptr;
+        long mask = strtol(umask_str, &endptr, 8);
+        if ((! (0 == mask && (EINVAL == errno || ERANGE))) &&
+            (*endptr == '\0')) {
+            umask(mask);
+        }
+    }
+
     return orte_daemon(argc, argv);
 }