diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/Makefile.am b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/Makefile.am
index bd03a5526c..771a238ead 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/Makefile.am
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/Makefile.am
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@
 # $HEADER$
 #
 
+dist_pkgdata_DATA = help-ras-simulator.txt
+
 sources = \
         ras_sim.h \
         ras_sim_component.c \
         ras_sim_module.c
 
-
 # Make the output library in this directory, and name it either
 # mca_<type>_<name>.la (for DSO builds) or libmca_<type>_<name>.la
 # (for static builds).
diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/help-ras-simulator.txt b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/help-ras-simulator.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76749662e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/help-ras-simulator.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# -*- text -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2012 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+#
+# $COPYRIGHT$
+#
+# Additional copyrights may follow
+#
+# $HEADER$
+#
+[no hwloc support for topofiles]
+The ras_simulator_topo_files MCA parameter was specified, but this
+Open MPI installation has no "hwloc" support, meaning that topo files
+cannot be used.
+
+Your job will now abort.
+#
+[hwloc API fail]
+An internal hwloc API call failed in the RAS simulator module.  This
+is unusual, and should likely be reported to the Open MPI developers.
+
+Your job will now abort.
+
+  File: %s
+  Line: %d
+  API:  %s
+#
+[hwloc failed to load xml]
+The RAS simulator module failed to load an XML topology file.  This
+usually means that the file is either invalid or does not exist.
+
+  Topo file: %s
+#
diff --git a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_module.c b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_module.c
index e72999470d..184e2f871a 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ras/simulator/ras_sim_module.c
@@ -86,7 +86,14 @@ static int allocate(opal_list_t *nodes)
             return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
         }
     }
-
+#else
+    /* If we don't have hwloc and hwloc files were specified, then
+       error out (because we can't deliver that functionality) */
+    if (NULL == mca_ras_simulator_component.topofiles) {
+        orte_show_help("help-ras-simulator.txt", 
+                       "no hwloc support for topofiles", true);
+        return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
+    }
 #endif
 
     /* setup the prefix to the node names */
@@ -112,22 +119,33 @@ static int allocate(opal_list_t *nodes)
             topo = opal_hwloc_topology;
         } else {
             if (0 != hwloc_topology_init(&topo)) {
-                return ORTE_ERROR;
+                orte_show_help("help-ras-simulator.txt", 
+                               "hwloc API fail", true, 
+                               __FILE__, __LINE__, "hwloc_topology_init");
+                return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
             }
             if (0 != hwloc_topology_set_xml(topo, files[n])) {
+                orte_show_help("help-ras-simulator.txt", 
+                               "hwloc failed to load xml", true, files[n]);
                 hwloc_topology_destroy(topo);
-                return ORTE_ERROR;
+                return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
             }
             /* since we are loading this from an external source, we have to
              * explicitly set a flag so hwloc sets things up correctly
              */
             if (0 != hwloc_topology_set_flags(topo, HWLOC_TOPOLOGY_FLAG_IS_THISSYSTEM)) {
+                orte_show_help("help-ras-simulator.txt", 
+                               "hwloc API fail", true, 
+                               __FILE__, __LINE__, "hwloc_topology_set_flags");
                 hwloc_topology_destroy(topo);
-                return ORTE_ERROR;
+                return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
             }
             if (0 != hwloc_topology_load(topo)) {
+                orte_show_help("help-ras-simulator.txt", 
+                               "hwloc API fail", true, 
+                               __FILE__, __LINE__, "hwloc_topology_load");
                 hwloc_topology_destroy(topo);
-                return ORTE_ERROR;
+                return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
             }
             /* remove the hostname from the topology. Unfortunately, hwloc
              * decided to add the source hostname to the "topology", thus