diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib.h b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib.h
index cba5dc3d21..68061c30f4 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib.h
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib.h
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ struct mca_btl_openib_component_t {
 #endif
     int rdma_qp;
     int credits_qp; /* qp used for software flow control */
+    bool cpc_explicitly_defined;
     /**< free list of frags only; used for pining user memory */
     ompi_free_list_t send_user_free;
     /**< free list of frags only; used for pining user memory */
diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c
index e50afdb0d9..bbdc7db3b4 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ int btl_openib_component_open(void)
     mca_btl_openib_component.openib_btls = NULL;
     OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&mca_btl_openib_component.hcas, opal_pointer_array_t);
     mca_btl_openib_component.hcas_count = 0;
+    mca_btl_openib_component.cpc_explicitly_defined = false;
 
     /* initialize objects */
     OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&mca_btl_openib_component.ib_procs, opal_list_t);
diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/connect/btl_openib_connect_base.c b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/connect/btl_openib_connect_base.c
index 95573aac0b..1e58a7f21c 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/connect/btl_openib_connect_base.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/connect/btl_openib_connect_base.c
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ int ompi_btl_openib_connect_base_register(void)
     /* If we have an "include" list, then find all those CPCs and put
        them in available[] */
     if (NULL != cpc_include) {
+        mca_btl_openib_component.cpc_explicitly_defined = true;
         temp = opal_argv_split(cpc_include, ',');
         for (save = j = 0; NULL != temp[j]; ++j) {
             for (i = 0; NULL != all[i]; ++i) {
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@ int ompi_btl_openib_connect_base_register(void)
     /* Otherwise, if we have an "exclude" list, take all the CPCs that
        are not in that list and put them in available[] */
     else if (NULL != cpc_exclude) {
+        mca_btl_openib_component.cpc_explicitly_defined = true;
         temp = opal_argv_split(cpc_exclude, ',');
         /* First: error check -- ensure that all the names are valid */
         for (j = 0; NULL != temp[j]; ++j) {
diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/connect/btl_openib_connect_ibcm.c b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/connect/btl_openib_connect_ibcm.c
index 319457ccab..3092792454 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/connect/btl_openib_connect_ibcm.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/connect/btl_openib_connect_ibcm.c
@@ -720,7 +720,9 @@ static int ibcm_component_query(mca_btl_openib_module_t *btl,
             /* We can't open the device for some reason (can't read,
                can't write, doesn't exist, ...etc.); IBCM is not setup
                on this node. */
-            BTL_ERROR(("failed to open IB CM device: %s", filename));
+            if (mca_btl_openib_component.cpc_explicitly_defined) {
+                BTL_ERROR(("failed to open IB CM device: %s", filename));
+            }
             free(filename);
             rc = OMPI_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED;
             goto error;