diff --git a/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_component.c b/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_component.c
index 94d0f0f5e6..2e2d094361 100644
--- a/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_component.c
+++ b/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_component.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ int mca_pml_ob1_component_open(void)
     mca_pml_ob1.rdma_threshold = 
         mca_pml_ob1_param_register_int("rdma_threshold", 1024*1024); 
     mca_pml_ob1.rdma_offset = 
-        mca_pml_ob1_param_register_int("rdma_offset", 512*1024); 
+        mca_pml_ob1_param_register_int("rdma_offset", 1024*1024); 
 
     return mca_bmi_base_open();
 }
diff --git a/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_recvreq.c b/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_recvreq.c
index cba902ce19..198c1ad6e3 100644
--- a/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_recvreq.c
+++ b/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_recvreq.c
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ static void mca_pml_ob1_recv_request_ack(
     ack->hdr_dst_req.pval = recvreq;
 
     /* initialize descriptor */
+    des->des_flags |= MCA_BMI_DES_FLAGS_PRIORITY;
     des->des_cbfunc = mca_pml_ob1_send_ctl_complete;
     des->des_cbdata = ep;
 
@@ -341,6 +342,9 @@ void mca_pml_ob1_recv_request_schedule(mca_pml_ob1_recv_request_t* recvreq)
                 }
                 dst->des_cbdata = recvreq;
 
+                /* run progress as the prepare (pinning) can take some time */
+                mca_pml_ob1_progress();
+
                 /* prepare a descriptor for rdma control message */
                 hdr_size = sizeof(mca_pml_ob1_rdma_hdr_t);
                 if(dst->des_dst_cnt > 1) {
@@ -355,6 +359,7 @@ void mca_pml_ob1_recv_request_schedule(mca_pml_ob1_recv_request_t* recvreq)
                     OMPI_THREAD_UNLOCK(&mca_pml_ob1.lock);
                     break;
                 }
+                ctl->des_flags |= MCA_BMI_DES_FLAGS_PRIORITY;
                 ctl->des_cbfunc = mca_pml_ob1_send_ctl_complete;
                 ctl->des_cbdata = ep;
                 
@@ -386,8 +391,6 @@ void mca_pml_ob1_recv_request_schedule(mca_pml_ob1_recv_request_t* recvreq)
                     OMPI_THREAD_UNLOCK(&mca_pml_ob1.lock);
                     break;
                 }
-                rc = ep->bmi->bmi_component->bmi_progress(); 
-                
             }
         } while(OMPI_THREAD_ADD32(&recvreq->req_lock,-1) > 0);
     }
diff --git a/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_sendreq.c b/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_sendreq.c
index e485f797be..ee2ccc84b5 100644
--- a/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_sendreq.c
+++ b/src/mca/pml/ob1/pml_ob1_sendreq.c
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ int mca_pml_ob1_send_request_start(
             descriptor->des_cbfunc = mca_pml_ob1_send_completion;
         }
     }
+    descriptor->des_flags |= MCA_BMI_DES_FLAGS_PRIORITY;
     descriptor->des_cbdata = sendreq;
     OMPI_THREAD_ADD32(&sendreq->req_pipeline_depth,1);
 
@@ -499,6 +500,7 @@ static void mca_pml_ob1_put_completion(
         OMPI_THREAD_LOCK(&mca_pml_ob1.lock);
         goto cleanup;
     }
+    fin->des_flags |= MCA_BMI_DES_FLAGS_PRIORITY;
     fin->des_cbfunc = mca_pml_ob1_fin_completion;
     fin->des_cbdata = frag;