diff --git a/orte/mca/rml/base/rml_base_contact.c b/orte/mca/rml/base/rml_base_contact.c
index 6bc41fe228..6ee2f2c2c8 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rml/base/rml_base_contact.c
+++ b/orte/mca/rml/base/rml_base_contact.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  *                         University of Stuttgart.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Regents of the University of California.
  *                         All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2016      Intel, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2016-2017 Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  *
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ int orte_rml_base_get_contact_info(orte_jobid_t job, opal_buffer_t *data)
 int orte_rml_base_update_contact_info(opal_buffer_t* data)
 {
     orte_std_cntr_t cnt;
+    orte_process_name_t peer;
     orte_vpid_t num_procs;
     char *rml_uri;
     int rc;
@@ -89,11 +90,18 @@ int orte_rml_base_update_contact_info(opal_buffer_t* data)
         if (NULL != rml_uri) {
             /* set the contact info into the hash table */
             orte_rml.set_contact_info(rml_uri);
+            /* if this was an update to my own job, then
+             * track how many procs were in the message */
+            if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rml_base_parse_uris(rml_uri, &peer, NULL))) {
+                ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
+                free(rml_uri);
+                return rc;
+            }
+            if (peer.jobid == ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME->jobid) {
+                ++num_procs;
+            }
             free(rml_uri);
         }
-
-        /* track how many procs were in the message */
-        ++num_procs;
     }
     if (ORTE_ERR_UNPACK_READ_PAST_END_OF_BUFFER != rc) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
diff --git a/orte/orted/help-orted.txt b/orte/orted/help-orted.txt
index c89d4e1015..cec46c2d15 100644
--- a/orte/orted/help-orted.txt
+++ b/orte/orted/help-orted.txt
@@ -80,3 +80,10 @@ This is usually caused by a large job that encounters significant
 delays across the cluster when starting the application processes.
 Your job may terminate as a result of this problem. You may want to
 adjust the MCA parameter pmix_server_max_reqs and try again.
+#
+[noserver]
+A publish/lookup server was provided, but we were unable to connect
+to it - please check the connection info and ensure the server
+is alive:
+
+  Connection:  %s
diff --git a/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server.c b/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server.c
index 63b4dbfdd3..0ed02ce6b7 100644
--- a/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server.c
+++ b/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server.c
@@ -296,94 +296,6 @@ int pmix_server_init(void)
     }
     OPAL_LIST_DESTRUCT(&info);
 
-    /* if the universal server wasn't specified, then we use
-     * our own HNP for that purpose */
-    if (NULL == orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri) {
-        orte_pmix_server_globals.server = *ORTE_PROC_MY_HNP;
-    } else {
-        char *server;
-        opal_buffer_t buf;
-        if (0 == strncmp(orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri, "file", strlen("file")) ||
-            0 == strncmp(orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri, "FILE", strlen("FILE"))) {
-            char input[1024], *filename;
-            FILE *fp;
-
-            /* it is a file - get the filename */
-            filename = strchr(orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri, ':');
-            if (NULL == filename) {
-                /* filename is not correctly formatted */
-                orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:ompi-server-filename-bad", true,
-                               orte_basename, orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri);
-                return ORTE_ERR_BAD_PARAM;
-            }
-            ++filename; /* space past the : */
-
-            if (0 >= strlen(filename)) {
-                /* they forgot to give us the name! */
-                orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:ompi-server-filename-missing", true,
-                               orte_basename, orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri);
-                return ORTE_ERR_BAD_PARAM;
-            }
-
-            /* open the file and extract the uri */
-            fp = fopen(filename, "r");
-            if (NULL == fp) { /* can't find or read file! */
-                orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:ompi-server-filename-access", true,
-                               orte_basename, orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri);
-                return ORTE_ERR_BAD_PARAM;
-            }
-            if (NULL == fgets(input, 1024, fp)) {
-                /* something malformed about file */
-                fclose(fp);
-                orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:ompi-server-file-bad", true,
-                               orte_basename, orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri,
-                               orte_basename);
-                return ORTE_ERR_BAD_PARAM;
-            }
-            fclose(fp);
-            input[strlen(input)-1] = '\0';  /* remove newline */
-            server = strdup(input);
-        } else {
-            server = strdup(orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri);
-        }
-        /* setup our route to the server */
-        OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&buf, opal_buffer_t);
-        opal_dss.pack(&buf, &server, 1, OPAL_STRING);
-        if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rml_base_update_contact_info(&buf))) {
-            ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
-            ORTE_UPDATE_EXIT_STATUS(ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE);
-            return rc;
-        }
-        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&buf);
-        /* parse the URI to get the server's name */
-        if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rml_base_parse_uris(server, &orte_pmix_server_globals.server, NULL))) {
-            ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
-            return rc;
-        }
-        /* check if we are to wait for the server to start - resolves
-         * a race condition that can occur when the server is run
-         * as a background job - e.g., in scripts
-         */
-        if (orte_pmix_server_globals.wait_for_server) {
-            /* ping the server */
-            struct timeval timeout;
-            timeout.tv_sec = orte_pmix_server_globals.timeout;
-            timeout.tv_usec = 0;
-            if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rml.ping(orte_mgmt_conduit, server, &timeout))) {
-                /* try it one more time */
-                if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rml.ping(orte_mgmt_conduit, server, &timeout))) {
-                    /* okay give up */
-                    orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:server-not-found", true,
-                                   orte_basename, server,
-                                   (long)orte_pmix_server_globals.timeout,
-                                   ORTE_ERROR_NAME(rc));
-                    ORTE_UPDATE_EXIT_STATUS(ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE);
-                    return rc;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     return rc;
 }
 
@@ -716,8 +628,9 @@ OBJ_CLASS_INSTANCE(orte_pmix_server_op_caddy_t,
 static void rqcon(pmix_server_req_t *p)
 {
     p->operation = NULL;
-    p->target = *ORTE_NAME_INVALID;
+    p->range = OPAL_PMIX_RANGE_SESSION;
     p->proxy = *ORTE_NAME_INVALID;
+    p->target = *ORTE_NAME_INVALID;
     p->timeout = orte_pmix_server_globals.timeout;
     p->jdata = NULL;
     OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&p->msg, opal_buffer_t);
diff --git a/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server_internal.h b/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server_internal.h
index 5712529b5c..5246027188 100644
--- a/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server_internal.h
+++ b/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server_internal.h
@@ -67,8 +67,9 @@
     int timeout;
     int room_num;
     int remote_room_num;
+    opal_pmix_data_range_t range;
     orte_process_name_t proxy;
-    opal_process_name_t target;
+    orte_process_name_t target;
     orte_job_t *jdata;
     opal_buffer_t msg;
     opal_pmix_op_cbfunc_t opcbfunc;
@@ -255,6 +256,7 @@ typedef struct {
     bool wait_for_server;
     orte_process_name_t server;
     opal_list_t notifications;
+    bool pubsub_init;
 } pmix_server_globals_t;
 
 extern pmix_server_globals_t orte_pmix_server_globals;
diff --git a/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server_pub.c b/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server_pub.c
index 6b3e5bde78..0f009d1a9f 100644
--- a/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server_pub.c
+++ b/orte/orted/pmix/pmix_server_pub.c
@@ -42,14 +42,126 @@
 #include "orte/runtime/orte_data_server.h"
 #include "orte/runtime/orte_globals.h"
 #include "orte/mca/rml/rml.h"
+#include "orte/mca/rml/base/rml_contact.h"
 
 #include "pmix_server_internal.h"
 
+static int init_server(void)
+{
+    char *server;
+    opal_buffer_t buf;
+    char input[1024], *filename;
+    FILE *fp;
+    int rc;
+
+    /* only do this once */
+    orte_pmix_server_globals.pubsub_init = true;
+
+    /* if the universal server wasn't specified, then we use
+     * our own HNP for that purpose */
+    if (NULL == orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri) {
+        orte_pmix_server_globals.server = *ORTE_PROC_MY_HNP;
+    } else {
+        if (0 == strncmp(orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri, "file", strlen("file")) ||
+            0 == strncmp(orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri, "FILE", strlen("FILE"))) {
+            /* it is a file - get the filename */
+            filename = strchr(orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri, ':');
+            if (NULL == filename) {
+                /* filename is not correctly formatted */
+                orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:ompi-server-filename-bad", true,
+                               orte_basename, orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri);
+                return ORTE_ERR_BAD_PARAM;
+            }
+            ++filename; /* space past the : */
+
+            if (0 >= strlen(filename)) {
+                /* they forgot to give us the name! */
+                orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:ompi-server-filename-missing", true,
+                               orte_basename, orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri);
+                return ORTE_ERR_BAD_PARAM;
+            }
+
+            /* open the file and extract the uri */
+            fp = fopen(filename, "r");
+            if (NULL == fp) { /* can't find or read file! */
+                orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:ompi-server-filename-access", true,
+                               orte_basename, orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri);
+                return ORTE_ERR_BAD_PARAM;
+            }
+            if (NULL == fgets(input, 1024, fp)) {
+                /* something malformed about file */
+                fclose(fp);
+                orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:ompi-server-file-bad", true,
+                               orte_basename, orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri,
+                               orte_basename);
+                return ORTE_ERR_BAD_PARAM;
+            }
+            fclose(fp);
+            input[strlen(input)-1] = '\0';  /* remove newline */
+            server = strdup(input);
+        } else {
+            server = strdup(orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri);
+        }
+        /* setup our route to the server */
+        OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&buf, opal_buffer_t);
+        opal_dss.pack(&buf, &server, 1, OPAL_STRING);
+        if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rml_base_update_contact_info(&buf))) {
+            ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
+            ORTE_UPDATE_EXIT_STATUS(ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE);
+            return rc;
+        }
+        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&buf);
+        /* parse the URI to get the server's name */
+        if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rml_base_parse_uris(server, &orte_pmix_server_globals.server, NULL))) {
+            ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
+            return rc;
+        }
+        /* check if we are to wait for the server to start - resolves
+         * a race condition that can occur when the server is run
+         * as a background job - e.g., in scripts
+         */
+        if (orte_pmix_server_globals.wait_for_server) {
+            opal_output(0, "WAIT");
+            /* ping the server */
+            struct timeval timeout;
+            timeout.tv_sec = orte_pmix_server_globals.timeout;
+            timeout.tv_usec = 0;
+            if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rml.ping(orte_mgmt_conduit, server, &timeout))) {
+                /* try it one more time */
+                if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rml.ping(orte_mgmt_conduit, server, &timeout))) {
+                    /* okay give up */
+                    orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:server-not-found", true,
+                                   orte_basename, server,
+                                   (long)orte_pmix_server_globals.timeout,
+                                   ORTE_ERROR_NAME(rc));
+                    ORTE_UPDATE_EXIT_STATUS(ORTE_ERROR_DEFAULT_EXIT_CODE);
+                    return rc;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    opal_output(0, "SERVER READY");
+
+    return ORTE_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 static void execute(int sd, short args, void *cbdata)
 {
     pmix_server_req_t *req = (pmix_server_req_t*)cbdata;
     int rc;
     opal_buffer_t *xfer;
+    orte_process_name_t *target;
+
+    if (!orte_pmix_server_globals.pubsub_init) {
+        /* we need to initialize our connection to the server */
+        if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = init_server())) {
+            orte_show_help("help-orted.txt", "noserver", true,
+                           (NULL == orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri) ?
+                           "NULL" : orte_pmix_server_globals.server_uri);
+            goto callback;
+        }
+    }
 
     /* add this request to our tracker hotel */
     if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_hotel_checkin(&orte_pmix_server_globals.reqs, req, &req->room_num))) {
@@ -67,9 +179,16 @@ static void execute(int sd, short args, void *cbdata)
     }
     opal_dss.copy_payload(xfer, &req->msg);
 
+    /* if the range is SESSION, then set the target to the global server */
+    if (OPAL_PMIX_RANGE_SESSION == req->range) {
+        target = &orte_pmix_server_globals.server;
+    } else {
+        target = ORTE_PROC_MY_HNP;
+    }
+
     /* send the request to the target */
     rc = orte_rml.send_buffer_nb(orte_mgmt_conduit,
-                                 &req->target, xfer,
+                                 target, xfer,
                                  ORTE_RML_TAG_DATA_SERVER,
                                  orte_rml_send_callback, NULL);
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS == rc) {
@@ -95,7 +214,6 @@ int pmix_server_publish_fn(opal_process_name_t *proc,
     int rc;
     uint8_t cmd = ORTE_PMIX_PUBLISH_CMD;
     opal_value_t *iptr;
-    opal_pmix_data_range_t range = OPAL_PMIX_RANGE_SESSION;
     opal_pmix_persistence_t persist = OPAL_PMIX_PERSIST_APP;
     bool rset, pset;
 
@@ -128,7 +246,7 @@ int pmix_server_publish_fn(opal_process_name_t *proc,
     pset = false;
     OPAL_LIST_FOREACH(iptr, info, opal_value_t) {
         if (0 == strcmp(iptr->key, OPAL_PMIX_RANGE)) {
-            range = (opal_pmix_data_range_t)iptr->data.uint;
+            req->range = (opal_pmix_data_range_t)iptr->data.uint;
             if (pset) {
                 break;
             }
@@ -143,19 +261,12 @@ int pmix_server_publish_fn(opal_process_name_t *proc,
     }
 
     /* pack the range */
-    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_dss.pack(&req->msg, &range, 1, OPAL_PMIX_DATA_RANGE))) {
+    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_dss.pack(&req->msg, &req->range, 1, OPAL_PMIX_DATA_RANGE))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
         OBJ_RELEASE(req);
         return rc;
     }
 
-    /* if the range is SESSION, then set the target to the global server */
-    if (OPAL_PMIX_RANGE_SESSION == range) {
-        req->target = orte_pmix_server_globals.server;
-    } else {
-        req->target = *ORTE_PROC_MY_HNP;
-    }
-
     /* pack the persistence */
     if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_dss.pack(&req->msg, &persist, 1, OPAL_INT))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
@@ -205,7 +316,6 @@ int pmix_server_lookup_fn(opal_process_name_t *proc, char **keys,
     uint8_t cmd = ORTE_PMIX_LOOKUP_CMD;
     int32_t nkeys, i;
     opal_value_t *iptr;
-    opal_pmix_data_range_t range = OPAL_PMIX_RANGE_SESSION;
 
     /* the list of info objects are directives for us - they include
      * things like timeout constraints, so there is no reason to
@@ -234,25 +344,18 @@ int pmix_server_lookup_fn(opal_process_name_t *proc, char **keys,
     /* no help for it - need to search for range */
     OPAL_LIST_FOREACH(iptr, info, opal_value_t) {
         if (0 == strcmp(iptr->key, OPAL_PMIX_RANGE)) {
-            range = (opal_pmix_data_range_t)iptr->data.uint;
+            req->range = (opal_pmix_data_range_t)iptr->data.uint;
             break;
         }
     }
 
     /* pack the range */
-    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_dss.pack(&req->msg, &range, 1, OPAL_PMIX_DATA_RANGE))) {
+    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_dss.pack(&req->msg, &req->range, 1, OPAL_PMIX_DATA_RANGE))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
         OBJ_RELEASE(req);
         return rc;
     }
 
-    /* if the range is SESSION, then set the target to the global server */
-    if (OPAL_PMIX_RANGE_SESSION == range) {
-        req->target = orte_pmix_server_globals.server;
-    } else {
-        req->target = *ORTE_PROC_MY_HNP;
-    }
-
     /* pack the number of keys */
     nkeys = opal_argv_count(keys);
     if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_dss.pack(&req->msg, &nkeys, 1, OPAL_UINT32))) {
@@ -309,7 +412,6 @@ int pmix_server_unpublish_fn(opal_process_name_t *proc, char **keys,
     uint8_t cmd = ORTE_PMIX_UNPUBLISH_CMD;
     uint32_t nkeys, n;
     opal_value_t *iptr;
-    opal_pmix_data_range_t range = OPAL_PMIX_RANGE_SESSION;
 
     /* create the caddy */
     req = OBJ_NEW(pmix_server_req_t);
@@ -334,25 +436,18 @@ int pmix_server_unpublish_fn(opal_process_name_t *proc, char **keys,
     /* no help for it - need to search for range */
     OPAL_LIST_FOREACH(iptr, info, opal_value_t) {
         if (0 == strcmp(iptr->key, OPAL_PMIX_RANGE)) {
-            range = (opal_pmix_data_range_t)iptr->data.integer;
+            req->range = (opal_pmix_data_range_t)iptr->data.integer;
             break;
         }
     }
 
     /* pack the range */
-    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_dss.pack(&req->msg, &range, 1, OPAL_INT))) {
+    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_dss.pack(&req->msg, &req->range, 1, OPAL_INT))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
         OBJ_RELEASE(req);
         return rc;
     }
 
-    /* if the range is SESSION, then set the target to the global server */
-    if (OPAL_PMIX_RANGE_SESSION == range) {
-        req->target = orte_pmix_server_globals.server;
-    } else {
-        req->target = *ORTE_PROC_MY_HNP;
-    }
-
     /* pack the number of keys */
     nkeys = opal_argv_count(keys);
     if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = opal_dss.pack(&req->msg, &nkeys, 1, OPAL_UINT32))) {