diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_app.c b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_app.c
index 13a00d24b5..a5261ff77b 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_app.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_app.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include "opal/util/proc.h"
 #include "opal/runtime/opal.h"
 #include "opal/runtime/opal_cr.h"
+#include "opal/runtime/opal_progress_threads.h"
 
 #include "orte/mca/rml/base/base.h"
 #include "orte/mca/routed/base/base.h"
@@ -73,7 +74,6 @@
 
 #include "orte/mca/ess/base/base.h"
 
-static void* orte_progress_thread_engine(opal_object_t *obj);
 static bool progress_thread_running = false;
 
 int orte_ess_base_app_setup(bool db_restrict_local)
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ int orte_ess_base_app_setup(bool db_restrict_local)
     }
 
     /* get a separate orte event base */
-    orte_event_base = opal_event_base_create();
+    orte_event_base = opal_start_progress_thread("orte", true);
+    progress_thread_running = true;
  
     /* open and setup the state machine */
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = mca_base_framework_open(&orte_state_base_framework, 0))) {
@@ -256,17 +257,6 @@ int orte_ess_base_app_setup(bool db_restrict_local)
         goto error;
     }
     
-    /* construct the thread object */
-    OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&orte_progress_thread, opal_thread_t);
-    /* fork off a thread to progress it */
-    orte_progress_thread.t_run = orte_progress_thread_engine;
-    progress_thread_running = true;
-    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_thread_start(&orte_progress_thread))) {
-        error = "orte progress thread start";
-        progress_thread_running = false;
-        goto error;
-    }
-
     /* enable communication via the rml */
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_rml.enable_comm())) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
@@ -376,12 +366,7 @@ int orte_ess_base_app_finalize(void)
          * sends a "sync" message to the local daemon. it
          * is now safe to stop the progress thread
          */
-        orte_event_base_active = false;
-        /* break the event loop */
-        opal_event_base_loopbreak(orte_event_base);
-        /* wait for thread to exit */
-        opal_thread_join(&orte_progress_thread, NULL);
-        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&orte_progress_thread);
+        opal_stop_progress_thread("orte", true);
         progress_thread_running = false;
     }
 
@@ -457,11 +442,3 @@ void orte_ess_base_app_abort(int status, bool report)
     /* Now Exit */
     _exit(status);
 }
-
-static void* orte_progress_thread_engine(opal_object_t *obj)
-{
-    while (orte_event_base_active) {
-        opal_event_loop(orte_event_base, OPAL_EVLOOP_ONCE);
-    }
-    return OPAL_THREAD_CANCELLED;
-}
diff --git a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c
index adb1234918..7e06b09c31 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c
+++ b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c
@@ -191,9 +191,6 @@ bool orte_map_stddiag_to_stderr = false;
 /* maximum size of virtual machine - used to subdivide allocation */
 int orte_max_vm_size = -1;
 
-/* progress thread */
-opal_thread_t orte_progress_thread;
-
 /* user debugger */
 char *orte_base_user_debugger = NULL;
 
diff --git a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h
index f3e262052d..ebef1c04aa 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h
+++ b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h
@@ -139,8 +139,6 @@ ORTE_DECLSPEC extern opal_list_t orte_proc_states;
 /* a clean output channel without prefix */
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern int orte_clean_output;
 
-ORTE_DECLSPEC extern opal_thread_t orte_progress_thread;
-
 #define ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_BLOCK_SIZE    64
 #define ORTE_GLOBAL_ARRAY_MAX_SIZE      INT_MAX