diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/portals/btl_portals.c b/ompi/mca/btl/portals/btl_portals.c
index bd2fd8ff20..9d49c48755 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/portals/btl_portals.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/portals/btl_portals.c
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ mca_btl_portals_alloc(struct mca_btl_base_module_t* btl_base,
     }
     
     frag->base.des_src_cnt = 1;
-    frag->base.des_flags = flags;
+    frag->base.des_flags = flags | MCA_BTL_DES_SEND_ALWAYS_CALLBACK; 
     frag->base.order = MCA_BTL_NO_ORDER;
 
     return &frag->base;
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ mca_btl_portals_prepare_src(struct mca_btl_base_module_t* btl_base,
     frag->base.des_src = frag->segments;
     frag->base.des_dst = NULL;
     frag->base.des_dst_cnt = 0;
-    frag->base.des_flags = flags;
+    frag->base.des_flags = flags | MCA_BTL_DES_SEND_ALWAYS_CALLBACK; 
     frag->base.order = MCA_BTL_NO_ORDER;
     return &frag->base;
 }
@@ -455,8 +455,8 @@ mca_btl_portals_prepare_dst(struct mca_btl_base_module_t* btl_base,
     frag->base.des_src_cnt = 0;
     frag->base.des_dst = frag->segments;
     frag->base.des_dst_cnt = 1;
-    frag->base.des_flags = flags;
-
+    frag->base.des_flags = flags | MCA_BTL_DES_SEND_ALWAYS_CALLBACK; 
+    
     OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((90, mca_btl_portals_component.portals_output,
                          "rdma dest posted for frag 0x%lx, callback 0x%lx, bits %" PRIu64 " flags %d",
                          (unsigned long) frag,
diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/portals/btl_portals_component.c b/ompi/mca/btl/portals/btl_portals_component.c
index 141a8ba6c6..713be0c968 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/portals/btl_portals_component.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/portals/btl_portals_component.c
@@ -535,10 +535,12 @@ mca_btl_portals_component_progress(void)
                 if (ev.ni_fail_type != PTL_NI_OK) {
                     opal_output(mca_btl_portals_component.portals_output,
                                 "Failure to end send event\n");
-                    frag->base.des_cbfunc(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
-                                          frag->endpoint,
-                                          &frag->base,
-                                          OMPI_ERROR);
+                    if( MCA_BTL_DES_SEND_ALWAYS_CALLBACK & frag->base.des_flags ){ 
+                        frag->base.des_cbfunc(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
+                                              frag->endpoint,
+                                              &frag->base,
+                                              OMPI_ERROR);
+                    }
                     if( btl_ownership ) {
                         mca_btl_portals_free(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
                                              &frag->base);
@@ -547,10 +549,12 @@ mca_btl_portals_component_progress(void)
 #endif
                 if(!mca_btl_portals_component.portals_need_ack) { 
                     /* my part's done, in portals we trust! */
-                    frag->base.des_cbfunc(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
-                                          frag->endpoint,
-                                          &frag->base,
-                                          OMPI_SUCCESS);
+                    if( MCA_BTL_DES_SEND_ALWAYS_CALLBACK & frag->base.des_flags ){ 
+                        frag->base.des_cbfunc(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
+                                              frag->endpoint,
+                                              &frag->base,
+                                              OMPI_SUCCESS);
+                    }
                     if( btl_ownership ) {
                         mca_btl_portals_free(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
                                              &frag->base);
@@ -583,10 +587,12 @@ mca_btl_portals_component_progress(void)
                 if (ev.ni_fail_type != PTL_NI_OK) {
                     opal_output(mca_btl_portals_component.portals_output,
                                 "Failure to ack event\n");
-                    frag->base.des_cbfunc(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
-                                          frag->endpoint,
-                                          &frag->base,
-                                          OMPI_ERROR);
+                    if( MCA_BTL_DES_SEND_ALWAYS_CALLBACK & frag->base.des_flags ){ 
+                        frag->base.des_cbfunc(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
+                                              frag->endpoint,
+                                              &frag->base,
+                                              OMPI_ERROR);
+                    }
                     if( btl_ownership ) {
                         mca_btl_portals_free(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
                                              &frag->base);
@@ -611,10 +617,12 @@ mca_btl_portals_component_progress(void)
                     /* other side received the message.  should have
                        received entire thing */
                     /* let the PML know we're done */
-                    frag->base.des_cbfunc(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
-                                          frag->endpoint,
-                                          &frag->base,
-                                          OMPI_SUCCESS);
+                    if( MCA_BTL_DES_SEND_ALWAYS_CALLBACK & frag->base.des_flags ) {
+                        frag->base.des_cbfunc(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
+                                              frag->endpoint,
+                                              &frag->base,
+                                              OMPI_SUCCESS);
+                    }
                     if( btl_ownership ) {
                         mca_btl_portals_free(&mca_btl_portals_module.super,
                                              &frag->base);