diff --git a/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_finalize.c b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_finalize.c
index ab0f3ca8e5..efcff6a293 100644
--- a/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_finalize.c
+++ b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_finalize.c
@@ -114,17 +114,19 @@ int ompi_mpi_finalize(void)
     /* Proceed with MPI_FINALIZE */
 
     ompi_mpi_finalized = true;
+
 #if OMPI_ENABLE_PROGRESS_THREADS == 0
-    opal_progress_events(OPAL_EVLOOP_NONBLOCK);
+    opal_progress_events(OPAL_EVLOOP_ONELOOP);
 #endif
+
+    /* Change progress function priority back to RTE level stuff */
+    opal_progress_mpi_disable();
+
     /* If maffinity was setup, tear it down */
     if (ompi_mpi_maffinity_setup) {
         opal_maffinity_base_close();
     }
 
-    /* Change progress function priority back to RTE level stuff */
-    opal_progress_mpi_disable();
-
     /* begin recording compound command */
 /*    if (OMPI_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_gpr.begin_compound_cmd())) {
         return ret;
diff --git a/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_init.c b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_init.c
index b750fb1449..190790259f 100644
--- a/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_init.c
+++ b/ompi/runtime/ompi_mpi_init.c
@@ -591,11 +591,6 @@ int ompi_mpi_init(int argc, char **argv, int requested, int *provided)
         goto error;
     }
 
-     /* BWB - is this still needed? */
-#if OMPI_ENABLE_PROGRESS_THREADS == 0
-    opal_progress_events(OPAL_EVLOOP_NONBLOCK);
-#endif
-
     /* Second barrier -- wait for message from
        RMGR_PROC_STAGE_GATE_MGR to arrive */
 
@@ -624,6 +619,12 @@ int ompi_mpi_init(int argc, char **argv, int requested, int *provided)
         return ret;
     }
 
+#if OMPI_ENABLE_PROGRESS_THREADS == 0
+    /* switch from letting us sit in the event library for a bit each
+       time through opal_progress() to completely non-blocking */
+    opal_progress_events(OPAL_EVLOOP_NONBLOCK);
+#endif
+
     /* put the event library in "high performance MPI mode" */
     if (OMPI_SUCCESS != opal_progress_mpi_enable()) {
         error = "opal_progress_mpi_enable() failed";
diff --git a/opal/event/event.c b/opal/event/event.c
index c9502760f8..2d48cd88e3 100644
--- a/opal/event/event.c
+++ b/opal/event/event.c
@@ -609,7 +609,8 @@ opal_event_base_loop(struct event_base *base, int flags)
 			opal_event_process_active(base);
 			if (!base->event_count_active && (flags & OPAL_EVLOOP_ONCE))
 				done = 1;
-		} else if (flags & OPAL_EVLOOP_NONBLOCK)
+		} else if ((flags & OPAL_EVLOOP_NONBLOCK) ||
+                           (flags & OPAL_EVLOOP_ONELOOP))
 			done = 1;
 
 		if (evsel->recalc(base, evbase, 0) == -1) {
diff --git a/opal/event/event.h b/opal/event/event.h
index a8152386ab..18b21ec4a9 100644
--- a/opal/event/event.h
+++ b/opal/event/event.h
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ int opal_event_base_set(struct event_base *, struct opal_event *);
 
 #define OPAL_EVLOOP_ONCE	0x01
 #define OPAL_EVLOOP_NONBLOCK	0x02
+    /* run once through the loop, but do have the default timeout.
+       Need to be both something special *AND* EVLOOP_ONCE */
+#define OPAL_EVLOOP_ONELOOP     0x03
+
 OMPI_DECLSPEC int opal_event_loop(int);
 int opal_event_base_loop(struct event_base *, int);
 int opal_event_loopexit(struct timeval *);	/* Causes the loop to exit */
diff --git a/opal/runtime/opal_progress.c b/opal/runtime/opal_progress.c
index 51dde68ade..a2a69b584d 100644
--- a/opal/runtime/opal_progress.c
+++ b/opal/runtime/opal_progress.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 /* 
  * default parameters 
  */
-static int opal_progress_event_flag = OPAL_EVLOOP_ONCE;
+static int opal_progress_event_flag = OPAL_EVLOOP_ONELOOP;
 #if OPAL_PROGRESS_USE_TIMERS
 static const opal_timer_t opal_progress_default_tick_rate = 10000; /* 10ms */
 #else