diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni.h b/ompi/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni.h
index d79ca36fe6..39cbb38ed0 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni.h
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni.h
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ typedef struct mca_btl_ugni_module_t {
 
     /* fragment id bounce buffer (smsg msg ids are only 32 bits) */
     opal_pointer_array_t pending_smsg_frags_bb;
-    int32_t next_frag_id;
 
     uint32_t reg_max;
     uint32_t reg_count;
diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_frag.c b/ompi/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_frag.c
index d078ea8125..626da72668 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_frag.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/ugni/btl_ugni_frag.c
@@ -51,7 +51,5 @@ OBJ_CLASS_INSTANCE(mca_btl_ugni_eager_frag_t, mca_btl_base_descriptor_t,
 
 void mca_btl_ugni_frag_init (mca_btl_ugni_base_frag_t *frag, mca_btl_ugni_module_t *ugni_module)
 {
-    frag->msg_id = opal_atomic_add_32 (&ugni_module->next_frag_id, 1);
-
-    opal_pointer_array_set_item (&ugni_module->pending_smsg_frags_bb, frag->msg_id, (void *) frag);
+    frag->msg_id = opal_pointer_array_add (&ugni_module->pending_smsg_frags_bb, (void *) frag);
 }