diff --git a/config/opal_set_mca_prefix.m4 b/config/opal_set_mca_prefix.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f01297f560
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/opal_set_mca_prefix.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# -*- shell-script -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2014      Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+# Copyright (c) 2014      Intel, Inc. All rights reserved.
+# $COPYRIGHT$
+#
+# Additional copyrights may follow
+#
+# $HEADER$
+#
+
+# OPAL_SET_MCA_PREFIX([mca_prefix]
+#
+# This macro sets a prefix for the MCA parameter system.  Specifically,
+# OMPI_MCA_<foo> becomes <mca_prefix>_<foo>
+#
+# --------------------------------------------------------
+AC_DEFUN([OPAL_SET_MCA_PREFIX],[
+    AS_IF([test "$opal_mca_prefix_set" = "yes"],
+          [AC_MSG_WARN([OPAL mca prefix was already set!])
+           AC_MSG_WARN([This is a configury programming error])
+           AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot continue])])
+
+    MCA_PREFIX=$1
+    opal_mca_prefix_set=yes
+    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([OPAL_MCA_PREFIX], ["$MCA_PREFIX"], [MCA prefix string for envars])
+])dnl
+
+#
+# Set the MCA cmd line identifier - i.e., change "-mca" to "-<foo>"
+#
+AC_DEFUN([OPAL_SET_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID],[
+    AS_IF([test "$opal_mca_cmd_id_set" = "yes"],
+          [AC_MSG_WARN([OPAL mca cmd line id was already set!])
+           AC_MSG_WARN([This is a configury programming error])
+           AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot continue])])
+
+    MCA_CMD_LINE_ID=$1
+    opal_mca_cmd_id_set=yes
+    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID], ["$MCA_CMD_LINE_ID"], [MCA cmd line identifier])
+])dnl
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1a539ff374..5d1689c4fb 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1408,6 +1408,8 @@ AC_SUBST(opallibdir)
 AC_SUBST(opalincludedir)
 
 OPAL_SET_LIB_PREFIX([])
+OPAL_SET_MCA_PREFIX([OMPI_MCA_])
+OPAL_SET_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID([mca])
 m4_ifdef([project_orte],
          [ortedatadir="$opaldatadir"
           AC_SUBST(ortedatadir)
diff --git a/opal/mca/base/mca_base_cmd_line.c b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_cmd_line.c
index fe8f35f7e8..bded8a1bf4 100644
--- a/opal/mca/base/mca_base_cmd_line.c
+++ b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_cmd_line.c
@@ -49,13 +49,13 @@ int mca_base_cmd_line_setup(opal_cmd_line_t *cmd)
 {
     int ret = OPAL_SUCCESS;
 
-    ret = opal_cmd_line_make_opt3(cmd, '\0', "mca", "mca", 2,
-                                  "Pass context-specific MCA parameters; they are considered global if --gmca is not used and only one context is specified (arg0 is the parameter name; arg1 is the parameter value)");
+    ret = opal_cmd_line_make_opt3(cmd, '\0', OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID, OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID, 2,
+                                  "Pass context-specific MCA parameters; they are considered global if --g"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID" is not used and only one context is specified (arg0 is the parameter name; arg1 is the parameter value)");
     if (OPAL_SUCCESS != ret) {
         return ret;
     }
 
-    ret = opal_cmd_line_make_opt3(cmd, '\0', "gmca", "gmca", 2,
+    ret = opal_cmd_line_make_opt3(cmd, '\0', "g"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID, "g"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID, 2,
                                   "Pass global MCA parameters that are applicable to all contexts (arg0 is the parameter name; arg1 is the parameter value)");
 
     if (OPAL_SUCCESS != ret) {
@@ -90,18 +90,18 @@ int mca_base_cmd_line_process_args(opal_cmd_line_t *cmd,
 
     /* If no relevant parameters were given, just return */
 
-    if (!opal_cmd_line_is_taken(cmd, "mca") &&
-        !opal_cmd_line_is_taken(cmd, "gmca")) {
+    if (!opal_cmd_line_is_taken(cmd, OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID) &&
+        !opal_cmd_line_is_taken(cmd, "g"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID)) {
         return OPAL_SUCCESS;
     }
 
     /* Handle app context-specific parameters */
 
-    num_insts = opal_cmd_line_get_ninsts(cmd, "mca");
+    num_insts = opal_cmd_line_get_ninsts(cmd, OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
     params = values = NULL;
     for (i = 0; i < num_insts; ++i) {
-        if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = process_arg(opal_cmd_line_get_param(cmd, "mca", i, 0), 
-                                              opal_cmd_line_get_param(cmd, "mca", i, 1),
+        if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = process_arg(opal_cmd_line_get_param(cmd, OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID, i, 0), 
+                                              opal_cmd_line_get_param(cmd, OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID, i, 1),
                                               &params, &values))) {
             return rc;
         }
@@ -114,11 +114,11 @@ int mca_base_cmd_line_process_args(opal_cmd_line_t *cmd,
 
     /* Handle global parameters */
 
-    num_insts = opal_cmd_line_get_ninsts(cmd, "gmca");
+    num_insts = opal_cmd_line_get_ninsts(cmd, "g"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
     params = values = NULL;
     for (i = 0; i < num_insts; ++i) {
-        if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = process_arg(opal_cmd_line_get_param(cmd, "gmca", i, 0), 
-                                              opal_cmd_line_get_param(cmd, "gmca", i, 1),
+        if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (rc = process_arg(opal_cmd_line_get_param(cmd, "g"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID, i, 0), 
+                                              opal_cmd_line_get_param(cmd, "g"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID, i, 1),
                                               &params, &values))) {
             return rc;
         }
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ static void add_to_env(char **params, char **values, char ***env)
     char *name;
 
     /* Loop through all the args that we've gotten and make env
-       vars of the form OMPI_MCA_*=value. */
+       vars of the form OPAL_MCA_PREFIX*=value. */
 
     for (i = 0; NULL != params && NULL != params[i]; ++i) {
         (void) mca_base_var_env_name (params[i], &name);
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@ void mca_base_cmd_line_wrap_args(char **args)
     char *tstr;
 
     for (i=0; NULL != args && NULL != args[i]; i++) {
-        if (0 == strcmp(args[i], "-mca") ||
-            0 == strcmp(args[i], "--mca")) {
+        if (0 == strcmp(args[i], "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID) ||
+            0 == strcmp(args[i], "--"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID)) {
             if (NULL == args[i+1] || NULL == args[i+2]) {
                 /* this should be impossible as the error would
                  * have been detected well before here, but just
diff --git a/opal/mca/base/mca_base_var.c b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_var.c
index d8665385b1..e63457d9a6 100644
--- a/opal/mca/base/mca_base_var.c
+++ b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_var.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
  * local variables
  */
 static opal_pointer_array_t mca_base_vars;
-static const char *mca_prefix = "OMPI_MCA_";
+static const char *mca_prefix = OPAL_MCA_PREFIX;
 static char *home = NULL;
 static char *cwd  = NULL;
 bool mca_base_var_initialized = false;
diff --git a/opal/mca/memory/linux/hooks.c b/opal/mca/memory/linux/hooks.c
index f85918e91b..03d9a095b1 100644
--- a/opal/mca/memory/linux/hooks.c
+++ b/opal/mca/memory/linux/hooks.c
@@ -780,12 +780,12 @@ void opal_memory_linux_malloc_init_hook(void)
        (unfortunately, there's really no good way to do this other
        than this abstraction violation :-( ) */
     lp = check("OPAL_MCA_leave_pinned");
-    if( RESULT_NOT_FOUND == lp ) lp = check("OMPI_MCA_mpi_leave_pinned");
+    if( RESULT_NOT_FOUND == lp ) lp = check(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"mpi_leave_pinned");
     lpp = check("OPAL_MCA_leave_pinned_pipeline");
-    if( RESULT_NOT_FOUND == lpp ) lpp = check("OMPI_MCA_mpi_leave_pinned_pipeline");
+    if( RESULT_NOT_FOUND == lpp ) lpp = check(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"mpi_leave_pinned_pipeline");
 
     /* See if we want to disable this component.  */
-    r1 = check("OMPI_MCA_memory_linux_disable");
+    r1 = check(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"memory_linux_disable");
     if (RESULT_NOT_FOUND != r1 && RESULT_NO != r1) {
         return;
     }
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_fns.c b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_fns.c
index 0eb6fce482..0928f60c08 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_fns.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_fns.c
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ int orte_ess_base_proc_binding(void)
     opal_value_t kv;
 
     /* Determine if we were pre-bound or not */
-    if (NULL != getenv("OMPI_MCA_orte_bound_at_launch")) {
+    if (NULL != getenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"orte_bound_at_launch")) {
         orte_proc_is_bound = true;
-        if (NULL != (map = getenv("OMPI_MCA_orte_base_applied_binding"))) {
+        if (NULL != (map = getenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"orte_base_applied_binding"))) {
             orte_proc_applied_binding = hwloc_bitmap_alloc();
             if (0 != (ret = hwloc_bitmap_list_sscanf(orte_proc_applied_binding, map))) {
                 error = "applied_binding parse";
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/pmi/ess_pmi_module.c b/orte/mca/ess/pmi/ess_pmi_module.c
index 129bf668ba..a4e5b51d50 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/pmi/ess_pmi_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/pmi/ess_pmi_module.c
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ static int rte_init(void)
     /* push into the environ for pickup in MPI layer for
      * MPI-3 required info key
      */
-    asprintf(&ev1, "OMPI_MCA_orte_ess_num_procs=%d", orte_process_info.num_procs);
+    asprintf(&ev1, OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"orte_ess_num_procs=%d", orte_process_info.num_procs);
     putenv(ev1);
     asprintf(&ev2, "OMPI_APP_CTX_NUM_PROCS=%d", orte_process_info.num_procs);
     putenv(ev2);
@@ -401,9 +401,9 @@ static int rte_finalize(void)
             /* remove the envars that we pushed into environ
              * so we leave that structure intact
              */
-            unsetenv("OMPI_MCA_routed");
-            unsetenv("OMPI_MCA_orte_precondition_transports");
-            unsetenv("OMPI_MCA_orte_ess_num_procs");
+            unsetenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"routed");
+            unsetenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"orte_precondition_transports");
+            unsetenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"orte_ess_num_procs");
             unsetenv("OMPI_APP_CTX_NUM_PROCS");
             /* use the default app procedure to finish */
             if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_ess_base_app_finalize())) {
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/singleton/ess_singleton_module.c b/orte/mca/ess/singleton/ess_singleton_module.c
index 0b993cac92..0469fef569 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/singleton/ess_singleton_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/singleton/ess_singleton_module.c
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ static int rte_init(void)
         /* save the daemon uri - we will process it later */
         orte_process_info.my_daemon_uri = strdup(orte_process_info.my_hnp_uri);
         /* for convenience, push the pubsub version of this param into the environ */
-        asprintf(&param,"OMPI_MCA_pubsub_orte_server=%s",orte_process_info.my_hnp_uri);
+        asprintf(&param,OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"pubsub_orte_server=%s",orte_process_info.my_hnp_uri);
         putenv(param);
     }
 
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ static int rte_init(void)
     putenv("OMPI_NUM_APP_CTX=1");
     putenv("OMPI_FIRST_RANKS=0");
     putenv("OMPI_APP_CTX_NUM_PROCS=1");
-    putenv("OMPI_MCA_orte_ess_num_procs=1");
+    putenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"orte_ess_num_procs=1");
 
     /* push some required info to our local datastore */
     OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&kvn, opal_value_t);
@@ -271,8 +271,8 @@ static int rte_finalize(void)
     unsetenv("OMPI_NUM_APP_CTX");
     unsetenv("OMPI_FIRST_RANKS");
     unsetenv("OMPI_APP_CTX_NUM_PROCS");
-    unsetenv("OMPI_MCA_orte_ess_num_procs");
-    unsetenv("OMPI_MCA_pubsub_orte_server");  // just in case it is there
+    unsetenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"orte_ess_num_procs");
+    unsetenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"pubsub_orte_server");  // just in case it is there
 
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/tm/ess_tm_module.c b/orte/mca/ess/tm/ess_tm_module.c
index 8bc1860491..3fdb4195db 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/tm/ess_tm_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/tm/ess_tm_module.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ static int rte_init(void)
      */
     if (ORTE_PROC_IS_DAEMON) {
         /* get the list of nodes used for this job */
-        nodelist = getenv("OMPI_MCA_orte_nodelist");
+        nodelist = getenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"orte_nodelist");
         
         if (NULL != nodelist) {
             /* split the node list into an argv array */
diff --git a/orte/mca/odls/base/odls_base_default_fns.c b/orte/mca/odls/base/odls_base_default_fns.c
index c310fae159..fcaa6149fe 100644
--- a/orte/mca/odls/base/odls_base_default_fns.c
+++ b/orte/mca/odls/base/odls_base_default_fns.c
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ static int setup_child(orte_proc_t *child,
          */
         opal_setenv("PWD", param, true, env);
         /* update the initial wdir value too */
-        opal_setenv("OMPI_MCA_initial_wdir", param, true, env);
+        opal_setenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"initial_wdir", param, true, env);
     }
     free(param);
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ static int setup_path(orte_app_context_t *app)
         getcwd(dir, sizeof(dir));
         opal_setenv("PWD", dir, true, &app->env);
         /* update the initial wdir value too */
-        opal_setenv("OMPI_MCA_initial_wdir", dir, true, &app->env);
+        opal_setenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"initial_wdir", dir, true, &app->env);
     }
 
     /* Search for the OMPI_exec_path and PATH settings in the environment. */
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c b/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c
index 6002fb0060..911e8996e6 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c
@@ -1073,22 +1073,22 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
 
     /* check for debug flags */
     if (orte_debug_flag) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_debug");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "1");
     }
     if (orte_debug_daemons_flag) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_debug_daemons");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "1");
     }
     if (orte_debug_daemons_file_flag) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_debug_daemons_file");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "1");
     }
     if (orte_leave_session_attached) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_leave_session_attached");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "1");
     }
@@ -1098,12 +1098,12 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
     }
 #if OPAL_HAVE_HWLOC
     if (opal_hwloc_report_bindings) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_report_bindings");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "1");
     }
     if (orte_hetero_nodes) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_hetero_nodes");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "1");
     }
@@ -1112,7 +1112,7 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "--mapreduce");
     }
     if (orte_map_stddiag_to_stderr) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_map_stddiag_to_stderr");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "1");
     }
@@ -1133,13 +1133,13 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
     
     /* tell the orted what ESS component to use */
     if (NULL != ess) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "ess");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, ess);
     }
     
     /* pass the daemon jobid */
-    opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+    opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
     opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_ess_jobid");
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_util_convert_jobid_to_string(&param, ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME->jobid))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
@@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
     
     /* setup to pass the vpid */
     if (NULL != proc_vpid_index) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_ess_vpid");
         *proc_vpid_index = *argc;
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "<template>");
@@ -1163,7 +1163,7 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
     } else {
         num_procs = orte_process_info.num_procs;
     }
-    opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+    opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
     opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_ess_num_procs");
     asprintf(&param, "%lu", num_procs);
     opal_argv_append(argc, argv, param);
@@ -1174,14 +1174,14 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
         rml_uri = orte_rml.get_contact_info();
     } else {
         rml_uri = orte_rml.get_contact_info();
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_parent_uri");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, rml_uri);
         free(rml_uri);
     
         rml_uri = strdup(orte_process_info.my_hnp_uri);
     }
-    opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+    opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
     opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_hnp_uri");
     opal_argv_append(argc, argv, rml_uri);
     free(rml_uri);
@@ -1193,7 +1193,7 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
             ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
             return rc;
         }
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_node_regex");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, param);
         free(param);
@@ -1208,14 +1208,14 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
 
     /* if output-filename was specified, pass that along */
     if (NULL != orte_output_filename) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_output_filename");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, orte_output_filename);
     }
     
     /* if --xterm was specified, pass that along */
     if (NULL != orte_xterm) {
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "orte_xterm");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, orte_xterm);
     }
@@ -1231,7 +1231,7 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
         /* Could also use the short version '-am'
          * but being verbose has some value
          */
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "mca_base_param_file_prefix");
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, tmp_value[0]);
     
@@ -1240,13 +1240,13 @@ int orte_plm_base_orted_append_basic_args(int *argc, char ***argv,
         loc_id = mca_base_var_find("opal", "mca", "base", "param_file_path");
         mca_base_var_get_value(loc_id, &tmp_value, NULL, NULL);
         if( NULL != tmp_value && NULL != tmp_value[0] ) {
-            opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+            opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
             opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "mca_base_param_file_path");
             opal_argv_append(argc, argv, tmp_value[0]);
         }
     
         /* Add the 'path' param */
-        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-mca");
+        opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
         opal_argv_append(argc, argv, "mca_base_param_file_path_force");
 
         tmp_value = NULL;
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_proxy.c b/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_proxy.c
index 093d818a07..e025d987c6 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_proxy.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_proxy.c
@@ -289,12 +289,12 @@ int orte_plm_base_fork_hnp(void)
     }
     
     /* indicate that it must use the novm state machine */
-    opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, "-mca");
+    opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
     opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, "state_novm_select");
     opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, "1");
 
     /* pass it a jobid to match my job family */
-    opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, "-mca");
+    opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
     opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, "ess_base_jobid");
     jobid = ORTE_DAEMON_JOBID(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME->jobid);
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_util_convert_jobid_to_string(&param, jobid))) {
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c b/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c
index a699fb6cd3..6990d534b8 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/rsh/plm_rsh_module.c
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ static int setup_launch(int *argcptr, char ***argvptr,
                                           NULL);
     
     /* ensure that only the ssh plm is selected on the remote daemon */
-    opal_argv_append_nosize(&argv, "-mca");
+    opal_argv_append_nosize(&argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
     opal_argv_append_nosize(&argv, "plm");
     opal_argv_append_nosize(&argv, "rsh");
     
@@ -573,12 +573,12 @@ static int setup_launch(int *argcptr, char ***argvptr,
          * only if they aren't already present
          */
         for (i = 0; NULL != environ[i]; ++i) {
-            if (0 == strncmp("OMPI_MCA_mca_base_env_list", environ[i],
-                             strlen("OMPI_MCA_mca_base_env_list"))) {
+            if (0 == strncmp(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"mca_base_env_list", environ[i],
+                             strlen(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"mca_base_env_list"))) {
                 /* ignore this one */
                 continue;
             }
-            if (0 == strncmp("OMPI_MCA", environ[i], 8)) {
+            if (0 == strncmp(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX, environ[i], 9)) {
                /* check for duplicate in app->env - this
                  * would have been placed there by the
                  * cmd line processor. By convention, we
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ static int setup_launch(int *argcptr, char ***argvptr,
                 }
                 if (!found) {
                     /* add it */
-                    opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, "-mca");
+                    opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
                     opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, param);
                     opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, value);
                 }
diff --git a/orte/orted/orted_main.c b/orte/orted/orted_main.c
index abf81a7e28..d00f960f28 100644
--- a/orte/orted/orted_main.c
+++ b/orte/orted/orted_main.c
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ int orte_daemon(int argc, char *argv[])
     orte_launch_environ = opal_argv_copy(environ);
     
     /* purge any ess flag set in the environ when we were launched */
-    opal_unsetenv("OMPI_MCA_ess", &orte_launch_environ);
+    opal_unsetenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"ess", &orte_launch_environ);
     
     /* if orte_daemon_debug is set, let someone know we are alive right
      * away just in case we have a problem along the way
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ int orte_daemon(int argc, char *argv[])
          * we may start as the result of a comm_spawn
          */
         for (i=0; NULL != environ[i]; i++) {
-            if (0 == strncmp(environ[i], "OMPI_MCA", 8)) {
+            if (0 == strncmp(environ[i], OPAL_MCA_PREFIX, 9)) {
                 /* make a copy to manipulate */
                 tmp = strdup(environ[i]);
                 /* find the equal sign */
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ int orte_daemon(int argc, char *argv[])
                 *nptr = '\0';
                 nptr++;
                 /* add the mca param to the orted cmd line */
-                opal_argv_append_nosize(&orted_cmd_line, "-mca");
+                opal_argv_append_nosize(&orted_cmd_line, "-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID);
                 opal_argv_append_nosize(&orted_cmd_line, &tmp[9]);
                 opal_argv_append_nosize(&orted_cmd_line, nptr);
                 free(tmp);
@@ -785,8 +785,8 @@ int orte_daemon(int argc, char *argv[])
             NULL
         };
         for (i=0; i < argc; i++) {
-            if (0 == strcmp("-mca",  argv[i]) ||
-                0 == strcmp("--mca", argv[i]) ) {
+            if (0 == strcmp("-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID,  argv[i]) ||
+                0 == strcmp("--"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID, argv[i]) ) {
                 ignore = false;
                 /* see if this is something we cannot pass along */
                 for (k=0; NULL != no_keep[k]; k++) {
diff --git a/orte/tools/orte-server/orte-server.c b/orte/tools/orte-server/orte-server.c
index 81e7048e69..9aaedea1de 100644
--- a/orte/tools/orte-server/orte-server.c
+++ b/orte/tools/orte-server/orte-server.c
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
      * code will output
      */
     if (debug) {
-        putenv("OMPI_MCA_orte_debug=1");
+        putenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"orte_debug=1");
     }
         
     /* detach from controlling terminal
diff --git a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
index 931492ab60..ebfb236302 100644
--- a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
+++ b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
@@ -835,9 +835,9 @@ int orterun(int argc, char *argv[])
     orte_launch_environ = opal_argv_copy(environ);
     
     /* purge any ess flag set externally */
-    opal_unsetenv("OMPI_MCA_ess", &orte_launch_environ);
+    opal_unsetenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"ess", &orte_launch_environ);
     /* purge the env list, if set */
-    opal_unsetenv("OMPI_MCA_mca_base_env_list", &orte_launch_environ);
+    opal_unsetenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"mca_base_env_list", &orte_launch_environ);
     
 #if OPAL_ENABLE_FT_CR == 1
     /* Disable OPAL CR notifications for this tool */
@@ -1533,8 +1533,8 @@ static int capture_cmd_line_params(int argc, int start, char **argv)
     };
     
     for (i = 0; i < (argc-start); ++i) {
-        if (0 == strcmp("-mca",  argv[i]) ||
-            0 == strcmp("--mca", argv[i]) ) {
+        if (0 == strcmp("-"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID,  argv[i]) ||
+            0 == strcmp("--"OPAL_MCA_CMD_LINE_ID, argv[i]) ) {
             /* ignore this one */
             if (0 == strcmp(argv[i+1], "mca_base_env_list")) {
                 i += 2;
@@ -1723,11 +1723,11 @@ static int create_app(int argc, char* argv[],
     
     /* add the ompi-server, if provided */
     if (NULL != ompi_server) {
-        opal_setenv("OMPI_MCA_pubsub_orte_server", ompi_server, true, &app->env);
+        opal_setenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"pubsub_orte_server", ompi_server, true, &app->env);
     }
 
     /* Did the user request to export any environment variables on the cmd line? */
-    env_set_flag = getenv("OMPI_MCA_mca_base_env_list");
+    env_set_flag = getenv(OPAL_MCA_PREFIX"mca_base_env_list");
     if (opal_cmd_line_is_taken(&cmd_line, "x")) {
         if (NULL != env_set_flag) {
             orte_show_help("help-orterun.txt", "orterun:conflict-env-set", false);