diff --git a/opal/mca/paffinity/base/base.h b/opal/mca/paffinity/base/base.h
index a83dcc5a95..a60e47e5bc 100644
--- a/opal/mca/paffinity/base/base.h
+++ b/opal/mca/paffinity/base/base.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  *                         University of Stuttgart.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Regents of the University of California.
  *                         All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2007      Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2007-2010 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -31,6 +31,16 @@
 
 BEGIN_C_DECLS
 
+/**
+ * Register MCA params for the paffinity base.
+ *
+ * @retval OPAL_SUCCESS Upon success
+ *
+ * This function is invoked by opal_register_params().  It registers
+ * some paffinity-wide MCA parameters.
+ */
+OPAL_DECLSPEC int opal_paffinity_base_register_params(void);
+
 /**
  * Initialize the paffinity MCA framework
  *
diff --git a/opal/mca/paffinity/base/paffinity_base_open.c b/opal/mca/paffinity/base/paffinity_base_open.c
index 71aa872a86..6a01491d93 100644
--- a/opal/mca/paffinity/base/paffinity_base_open.c
+++ b/opal/mca/paffinity/base/paffinity_base_open.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  *                         University of Stuttgart.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Regents of the University of California.
  *                         All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2008      Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2008-2010 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -47,10 +47,9 @@ bool opal_paffinity_alone = false;
 char *opal_paffinity_base_slot_list;
 
 /*
- * Function for finding and opening either all MCA components, or the one
- * that was specifically requested via a MCA parameter.
+ * Register some paffinity-wide MCA params
  */
-int opal_paffinity_base_open(void)
+int opal_paffinity_base_register_params(void)
 {
     int value, id;
 
@@ -71,7 +70,7 @@ int opal_paffinity_base_open(void)
                                 false, false,
                                 0, NULL);
     /* register the historical mpi_paffinity_alone synonym, but don't
-     * declare it deprecated so we don't scare the users
+     * declare it deprecated so we don't scare the users.
      *
      * Yes, this breaks the abstraction barrier, but as indicated
      * on the developer list....live with it. :-)
@@ -80,6 +79,15 @@ int opal_paffinity_base_open(void)
     mca_base_param_lookup_int(id, &value);
     opal_paffinity_alone = OPAL_INT_TO_BOOL(value);
 
+    return OPAL_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Function for finding and opening either all MCA components, or the one
+ * that was specifically requested via a MCA parameter.
+ */
+int opal_paffinity_base_open(void)
+{
     opal_paffinity_base_components_opened_valid = false;
         
     mca_base_param_reg_string_name("opal", "paffinity_base_slot_list",
diff --git a/opal/runtime/opal_params.c b/opal/runtime/opal_params.c
index a049074e81..23a3b63a56 100644
--- a/opal/runtime/opal_params.c
+++ b/opal/runtime/opal_params.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
  *                         All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2006      Los Alamos National Security, LLC.  All rights
  *                         reserved. 
- * Copyright (c) 2008-2009 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2008-2010 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2009      Oak Ridge National Labs.  All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
@@ -32,9 +32,12 @@
 #include "opal/datatype/opal_datatype.h"
 #include "opal/mca/base/mca_base_param.h"
 #include "opal/threads/mutex.h"
+#include "opal/mca/paffinity/base/base.h"
 
 int opal_register_params(void)
 {
+    int ret;
+
     /*
      * This string is going to be used in opal/util/stacktrace.c
      */
@@ -104,5 +107,11 @@ int opal_register_params(void)
     }
 #endif
     /* The ddt engine has a few parameters */
-    return opal_datatype_register_params();
+    ret = opal_datatype_register_params();
+    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != ret) {
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+    /* Paffinity base also has some parameters */
+    return opal_paffinity_base_register_params();
 }