diff --git a/orte/mca/iof/base/base.h b/orte/mca/iof/base/base.h
index 4ffbe0e55f..eeca238cc0 100644
--- a/orte/mca/iof/base/base.h
+++ b/orte/mca/iof/base/base.h
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ ORTE_DECLSPEC OBJ_CLASS_DECLARATION(orte_iof_write_output_t);
                        OPAL_EV_READ | OPAL_EV_PERSIST,              \
                        (cbfunc), rev);                              \
         if ((actv)) {                                               \
+            rev->active = true;                                     \
             opal_event_add(&rev->ev, 0);                            \
         }                                                           \
     } while(0);
diff --git a/orte/mca/iof/hnp/iof_hnp.c b/orte/mca/iof/hnp/iof_hnp.c
index a6a8a16c72..7f372ea932 100644
--- a/orte/mca/iof/hnp/iof_hnp.c
+++ b/orte/mca/iof/hnp/iof_hnp.c
@@ -232,14 +232,7 @@ static int hnp_push(const orte_process_name_t* dst_name, orte_iof_tag_t src_tag,
              */
             ORTE_IOF_READ_EVENT(&mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev,
                                 dst_name, fd, src_tag,
-                                orte_iof_hnp_read_local_handler, false);
-            
-            /* flag that it is operational */
-            mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev->active = true;
-            /* activate it */
-            if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_event_add(&(mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev->ev), 0))) {
-                ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
-            }
+                                orte_iof_hnp_read_local_handler, true);
         }
     }
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;
diff --git a/orte/mca/iof/hnp/iof_hnp_receive.c b/orte/mca/iof/hnp/iof_hnp_receive.c
index e5262e53aa..66bc364482 100644
--- a/orte/mca/iof/hnp/iof_hnp_receive.c
+++ b/orte/mca/iof/hnp/iof_hnp_receive.c
@@ -62,14 +62,16 @@ static void process_msg(int fd, short event, void *cbdata)
     
     if (ORTE_IOF_XON & stream) {
         /* re-start the stdin read event */
-        if (!mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev->active) {
+        if (NULL != mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev &&
+            !mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev->active) {
             mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev->active = true;
             opal_event_add(&(mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev->ev), 0);
         }
         goto CLEAN_RETURN;
     } else if (ORTE_IOF_XOFF & stream) {
         /* stop the stdin read event */
-        if (!mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev->active) {
+        if (NULL != mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev &&
+            !mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev->active) {
             opal_event_del(&(mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev->ev));
             mca_iof_hnp_component.stdinev->active = false;
         }
diff --git a/orte/mca/iof/orted/iof_orted.c b/orte/mca/iof/orted/iof_orted.c
index 728a327886..aea03b674a 100644
--- a/orte/mca/iof/orted/iof_orted.c
+++ b/orte/mca/iof/orted/iof_orted.c
@@ -268,6 +268,10 @@ static void stdin_write_handler(int fd, short event, void *cbdata)
             opal_event_del(&wev->ev);
             wev->pending = false;
             /* tell the HNP to stop sending us stuff */
+            if (!mca_iof_orted_component.xoff) {
+                mca_iof_orted_component.xoff = true;
+                orte_iof_orted_send_xonxoff(ORTE_IOF_XOFF);
+            }
             /* tell ourselves to dump anything that arrives */
             goto DEPART;
         } else if (num_written < output->numbytes) {