diff --git a/config/ompi_check_mvapi.m4 b/config/ompi_check_mvapi.m4
index 46b1a696b0..6707e17daf 100644
--- a/config/ompi_check_mvapi.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_check_mvapi.m4
@@ -38,15 +38,39 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_MVAPI],[
     AS_IF([test "$HAVE_POSIX_THREADS" != "1"],
           [AC_MSG_WARN([POSIX threads not enabled.  May not be able to link with mvapi])])
 
+    
+    ompi_check_mvapi$1_save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+    
+    #ugly hack for topspin which stores include files in include/vapi
+    AS_IF([test -d "$ompi_check_mvapi_dir/include/vapi"],  
+	[CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I $ompi_check_mvapi_dir/include/vapi"
+	 $1_CPPFLAGS="$$1_CPPFLAGS -I $ompi_check_mvapi_dir/include/vapi"]) 
+    
+    #some mellanox vapi implemenations only need lvapi and lmosal    
     OMPI_CHECK_PACKAGE([$1],
-                       [vapi.h],
-                       [vapi],
-                       [VAPI_open_hca],
-                       [-lmosal -lmpga -lmtl_common],
-                       [$ompi_check_mvapi_dir],
-                       [$ompi_check_mvapi_libdir],
-                       [ompi_check_mvapi_happy="yes"],
-                       [ompi_check_mvapi_happy="no"])
+	[vapi.h],
+	[vapi],
+	[VAPI_open_hca],
+	[-lmosal],
+	[$ompi_check_mvapi_dir],
+	[$ompi_check_mvapi_libdir],
+	[ompi_check_mvapi_happy="yes"],
+	[ompi_check_mvapi_happy="no"])
+
+    #if needed use both lmpga and lmtl_common
+    AS_IF([test "$ompi_check_mvapi_happy" = "no"], 
+	[OMPI_CHECK_PACKAGE([$1],
+		[vapi.h],
+		[vapi],
+		[VAPI_open_hca],
+		[-lmosal -lmpga -lmtl_common],
+		[$ompi_check_mvapi_dir],
+		[$ompi_check_mvapi_libdir],
+		[ompi_check_mvapi_happy="yes"],
+		[ompi_check_mvapi_happy="no"])])
+    
+      
+    CPPFLAGS="$ompi_check_vapi$1_save_CFLAGS"
 
     AS_IF([test "$ompi_check_mvapi_happy" = "yes"],
           [$2],
diff --git a/ompi/class/ompi_free_list.c b/ompi/class/ompi_free_list.c
index cbd22f0b59..9d8c0d991a 100644
--- a/ompi/class/ompi_free_list.c
+++ b/ompi/class/ompi_free_list.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ int ompi_free_list_grow(ompi_free_list_t* flist, size_t num_elements)
     unsigned char* ptr;
     size_t i;
     size_t mod;
-    mca_mpool_base_registration_t* user_out; 
+    mca_mpool_base_registration_t* user_out = NULL; 
 
     if (flist->fl_max_to_alloc > 0 && flist->fl_num_allocated + num_elements > flist->fl_max_to_alloc)
         return OMPI_ERR_TEMP_OUT_OF_RESOURCE;
@@ -97,7 +97,10 @@ int ompi_free_list_grow(ompi_free_list_t* flist, size_t num_elements)
         item->user_data = user_out; 
         if (NULL != flist->fl_elem_class) {
             OBJ_CONSTRUCT_INTERNAL(item, flist->fl_elem_class);
+        } else { 
+            OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&item->super, opal_list_item_t); 
         }
+        
         opal_list_append(&(flist->super), &(item->super));
         ptr += flist->fl_elem_size;
     }
diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c
index eeca74bc86..662576202d 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c
@@ -492,8 +492,8 @@ mca_btl_base_module_t** mca_btl_openib_component_init(int *num_btl_modules,
 
 int mca_btl_openib_component_progress()
 {
-    uint32_t i, ne;
-    int count = 0;
+    uint32_t i;
+    int count = 0,ne;
     mca_btl_openib_frag_t* frag; 
     mca_btl_openib_endpoint_t* endpoint; 
     /* Poll for completions */