diff --git a/opal/mca/shmem/base/base.h b/opal/mca/shmem/base/base.h
index adf9d8818f..9ea20de541 100644
--- a/opal/mca/shmem/base/base.h
+++ b/opal/mca/shmem/base/base.h
@@ -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) 2007-2011 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2007-2015 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2010-2011 Los Alamos National Security, LLC.
  *                         All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
@@ -56,17 +56,6 @@ opal_shmem_unlink(opal_shmem_ds_t *ds_buf);
  * Global functions for MCA overall shmem open and close
  */
 
-/**
- * Performs a run-time query across all available shmem components.  Similar to
- * mca_base_select, but take into consideration environment hints provided by
- * orte.
- *
- * see: orte/mca/odls/base/odls_base_default_fns.c
- */
-OPAL_DECLSPEC int
-opal_shmem_base_runtime_query(mca_base_module_t **best_module,
-                              mca_base_component_t **best_component);
-
 /**
  * returns the name of the best, runnable shmem component.  the caller is
  * responsible for freeing returned resources.
diff --git a/opal/mca/shmem/base/shmem_base_select.c b/opal/mca/shmem/base/shmem_base_select.c
index a1efd121a3..5826ab7a7e 100644
--- a/opal/mca/shmem/base/shmem_base_select.c
+++ b/opal/mca/shmem/base/shmem_base_select.c
@@ -40,41 +40,13 @@ const opal_shmem_base_component_2_0_0_t *opal_shmem_base_component = NULL;
 const opal_shmem_base_module_2_0_0_t *opal_shmem_base_module = NULL;
 
 /* ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// */
-char *
-opal_shmem_base_best_runnable_component_name(void)
-{
-    mca_base_component_t *best_component = NULL;
-    mca_base_module_t *best_module = NULL;
 
-    opal_output_verbose(10, opal_shmem_base_framework.framework_output,
-                        "shmem: base: best_runnable_component_name: "
-                        "Searching for best runnable component.");
-    /* select the best component so we can get its name. */
-    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != opal_shmem_base_runtime_query(&best_module,
-                                                      &best_component)) {
-        /* fail! */
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    else {
-        if (NULL != best_component) {
-            opal_output_verbose(10, opal_shmem_base_framework.framework_output,
-                                "shmem: base: best_runnable_component_name: "
-                                "Found best runnable component: (%s).",
-                                best_component->mca_component_name);
-            return strdup(best_component->mca_component_name);
-        }
-        else {
-            opal_output_verbose(10, opal_shmem_base_framework.framework_output,
-                                "shmem: base: best_runnable_component_name: "
-                                "Could not find runnable component.");
-            /* no component returned, so return NULL */
-            return NULL;
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-/* ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// */
-int
+/*
+ * Performs a run-time query across all available shmem components.
+ * Similar to mca_base_select, but take into consideration environment
+ * hints provided by orte.
+ */
+static int
 opal_shmem_base_runtime_query(mca_base_module_t **best_module,
                               mca_base_component_t **best_component)
 {
@@ -168,6 +140,40 @@ opal_shmem_base_runtime_query(mca_base_module_t **best_module,
     return OPAL_SUCCESS;
 }
 
+/* ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// */
+char *
+opal_shmem_base_best_runnable_component_name(void)
+{
+    mca_base_component_t *best_component = NULL;
+    mca_base_module_t *best_module = NULL;
+
+    opal_output_verbose(10, opal_shmem_base_framework.framework_output,
+                        "shmem: base: best_runnable_component_name: "
+                        "Searching for best runnable component.");
+    /* select the best component so we can get its name. */
+    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != opal_shmem_base_runtime_query(&best_module,
+                                                      &best_component)) {
+        /* fail! */
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    else {
+        if (NULL != best_component) {
+            opal_output_verbose(10, opal_shmem_base_framework.framework_output,
+                                "shmem: base: best_runnable_component_name: "
+                                "Found best runnable component: (%s).",
+                                best_component->mca_component_name);
+            return strdup(best_component->mca_component_name);
+        }
+        else {
+            opal_output_verbose(10, opal_shmem_base_framework.framework_output,
+                                "shmem: base: best_runnable_component_name: "
+                                "Could not find runnable component.");
+            /* no component returned, so return NULL */
+            return NULL;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /* ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// */
 int
 opal_shmem_base_select(void)