diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_tool.c b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_tool.c
index f235ce3e5b..aa8153fc7f 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_tool.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_std_tool.c
@@ -54,6 +54,16 @@ int orte_ess_base_tool_setup(void)
     int ret;
     char *error = NULL;
 
+    if (NULL != orte_process_info.my_hnp_uri) {
+        /* if we were given an HNP, then we were launched
+         * by mpirun in some fashion - in this case, we want
+         * to look like an application as well as being a tool.
+         * Need to do this before opening the routed framework
+         * so it will do the right things.
+         */
+        orte_process_info.proc_type |= ORTE_PROC_NON_MPI;
+    }
+    
     /* Setup the communication infrastructure */
     
     /* Runtime Messaging Layer */
@@ -116,15 +126,20 @@ int orte_ess_base_tool_setup(void)
     }
     
     /* setup I/O forwarding system - must come after we init routes */
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_iof_base_open())) {
-        ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        error = "orte_iof_base_open";
-        goto error;
-    }
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_iof_base_select())) {
-        ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        error = "orte_iof_base_select";
-        goto error;
+    if (NULL != orte_process_info.my_hnp_uri) {
+        /* only do this if we were NOT given an HNP - i.e., if we
+         * are a standalone tool
+         */
+        if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_iof_base_open())) {
+            ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
+            error = "orte_iof_base_open";
+            goto error;
+        }
+        if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_iof_base_select())) {
+            ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
+            error = "orte_iof_base_select";
+            goto error;
+        }
     }
     
 #if OPAL_ENABLE_FT == 1
@@ -164,7 +179,9 @@ int orte_ess_base_tool_finalize(void)
      * a very small subset of orte_init - ensure that
      * I only back those elements out
      */
-    orte_iof_base_close();
+    if (NULL != orte_process_info.my_hnp_uri) {
+        orte_iof_base_close();
+    }
     orte_routed_base_close();
     orte_rml_base_close();
 
diff --git a/orte/util/comm/comm.c b/orte/util/comm/comm.c
index d689a626ba..236f09dfe5 100644
--- a/orte/util/comm/comm.c
+++ b/orte/util/comm/comm.c
@@ -73,12 +73,27 @@ static void recv_info(int status, orte_process_name_t* sender,
     timer_fired = true;
 }
 
+static void send_cbfunc(int status, orte_process_name_t* sender,
+                      opal_buffer_t* buffer, orte_rml_tag_t tag,
+                      void* cbdata)
+{
+    /* cancel the timer */
+    if (NULL != quicktime) {
+        opal_evtimer_del(quicktime);
+        free(quicktime);
+        quicktime = NULL;
+    }
+    OBJ_RELEASE(buffer);
+    /* declare the work done */
+    timer_fired = true;
+}
+
 int orte_util_comm_query_job_info(const orte_process_name_t *hnp, orte_jobid_t job,
                                   int *num_jobs, orte_job_t ***job_info_array)
 {
     int ret;
     int32_t cnt, cnt_jobs, n;
-    opal_buffer_t cmd;
+    opal_buffer_t *cmd;
     orte_daemon_cmd_flag_t command = ORTE_DAEMON_REPORT_JOB_INFO_CMD;
     orte_job_t **job_info;
 
@@ -87,21 +102,37 @@ int orte_util_comm_query_job_info(const orte_process_name_t *hnp, orte_jobid_t j
     *job_info_array = NULL;
     
     /* send query to HNP */
-    OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&cmd, opal_buffer_t);
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(&cmd, &command, 1, ORTE_DAEMON_CMD))) {
+    cmd = OBJ_NEW(opal_buffer_t);
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(cmd, &command, 1, ORTE_DAEMON_CMD))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
+        OBJ_RELEASE(cmd);
         return ret;
     }
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(&cmd, &job, 1, ORTE_JOBID))) {
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(cmd, &job, 1, ORTE_JOBID))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
+        OBJ_RELEASE(cmd);
         return ret;
     }
-    if (0 > (ret = orte_rml.send_buffer((orte_process_name_t*)hnp, &cmd, ORTE_RML_TAG_DAEMON, 0))) {
+    /* define a max time to wait for send to complete */
+    timer_fired = false;
+    error_exit = ORTE_SUCCESS;
+    ORTE_DETECT_TIMEOUT(&quicktime, 100, 1000, 100000, quicktime_cb);
+    
+    /* do the send */
+    if (0 > (ret = orte_rml.send_buffer_nb((orte_process_name_t*)hnp, cmd, ORTE_RML_TAG_DAEMON, 0,
+                                           send_cbfunc, NULL))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
+        OBJ_RELEASE(cmd);
         return ret;
     }
-    OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
+    
+    /* wait for send to complete */
+    ORTE_PROGRESSED_WAIT(timer_fired, 0, 1);
+
+    /* did it succeed? */
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != error_exit) {
+        return error_exit;
+    }
     
     /* setup for answer */
     OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&answer, opal_buffer_t);
@@ -109,7 +140,7 @@ int orte_util_comm_query_job_info(const orte_process_name_t *hnp, orte_jobid_t j
     /* define a max time to wait for an answer */
     timer_fired = false;
     error_exit = ORTE_SUCCESS;
-    ORTE_DETECT_TIMEOUT(&quicktime, 10, 1000, 10000, quicktime_cb);
+    ORTE_DETECT_TIMEOUT(&quicktime, 100, 1000, 100000, quicktime_cb);
     
     /* get the answer */
     if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = orte_rml.recv_buffer_nb(ORTE_NAME_WILDCARD,
@@ -168,7 +199,7 @@ int orte_util_comm_query_node_info(const orte_process_name_t *hnp, char *node,
 {
     int ret;
     int32_t cnt, cnt_nodes, n;
-    opal_buffer_t cmd;
+    opal_buffer_t *cmd;
     orte_daemon_cmd_flag_t command = ORTE_DAEMON_REPORT_NODE_INFO_CMD;
     orte_node_t **node_info;
     
@@ -177,24 +208,38 @@ int orte_util_comm_query_node_info(const orte_process_name_t *hnp, char *node,
     *node_info_array = NULL;
     
     /* query the HNP for node info */
-    OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&cmd, opal_buffer_t);
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(&cmd, &command, 1, ORTE_DAEMON_CMD))) {
+    cmd = OBJ_NEW(opal_buffer_t);
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(cmd, &command, 1, ORTE_DAEMON_CMD))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
+        OBJ_RELEASE(cmd);
         return ret;
     }
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(&cmd, &node, 1, OPAL_STRING))) {
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(cmd, &node, 1, OPAL_STRING))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
+        OBJ_RELEASE(cmd);
         return ret;
     }
-    if (0 > (ret = orte_rml.send_buffer((orte_process_name_t*)hnp, &cmd, ORTE_RML_TAG_DAEMON, 0))) {
-        ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
-        return ret;
-    }
-    OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
+    /* define a max time to wait for send to complete */
+    timer_fired = false;
+    error_exit = ORTE_SUCCESS;
+    ORTE_DETECT_TIMEOUT(&quicktime, 100, 1000, 100000, quicktime_cb);
     
+    /* do the send */
+    if (0 > (ret = orte_rml.send_buffer_nb((orte_process_name_t*)hnp, cmd, ORTE_RML_TAG_DAEMON, 0,
+                                           send_cbfunc, NULL))) {
+        ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
+        OBJ_RELEASE(cmd);
+        return ret;
+    }
+    
+    /* wait for send to complete */
+    ORTE_PROGRESSED_WAIT(timer_fired, 0, 1);
+    
+    /* did it succeed? */
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != error_exit) {
+        return error_exit;
+    }
+
     /* define a max time to wait for an answer */
     timer_fired = false;
     error_exit = ORTE_SUCCESS;
@@ -258,7 +303,7 @@ int orte_util_comm_query_proc_info(const orte_process_name_t *hnp, orte_jobid_t
 {
     int ret;
     int32_t cnt, cnt_procs, n;
-    opal_buffer_t cmd;
+    opal_buffer_t *cmd;
     orte_daemon_cmd_flag_t command = ORTE_DAEMON_REPORT_PROC_INFO_CMD;
     orte_proc_t **proc_info;
 
@@ -267,29 +312,43 @@ int orte_util_comm_query_proc_info(const orte_process_name_t *hnp, orte_jobid_t
     *proc_info_array = NULL;
     
     /* query the HNP for info on the procs in this job */
-    OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&cmd, opal_buffer_t);
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(&cmd, &command, 1, ORTE_DAEMON_CMD))) {
+    cmd = OBJ_NEW(opal_buffer_t);
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(cmd, &command, 1, ORTE_DAEMON_CMD))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
+        OBJ_RELEASE(cmd);
         return ret;
     }
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(&cmd, &job, 1, ORTE_JOBID))) {
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(cmd, &job, 1, ORTE_JOBID))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
+        OBJ_RELEASE(cmd);
         return ret;
     }
-    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(&cmd, &vpid, 1, ORTE_VPID))) {
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (ret = opal_dss.pack(cmd, &vpid, 1, ORTE_VPID))) {
         ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
+        OBJ_RELEASE(cmd);
         return ret;
     }
-    if (0 > (ret = orte_rml.send_buffer((orte_process_name_t*)hnp, &cmd, ORTE_RML_TAG_DAEMON, 0))) {
-        ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
-        OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
-        return ret;
-    }
-    OBJ_DESTRUCT(&cmd);
+    /* define a max time to wait for send to complete */
+    timer_fired = false;
+    error_exit = ORTE_SUCCESS;
+    ORTE_DETECT_TIMEOUT(&quicktime, 100, 1000, 100000, quicktime_cb);
     
+    /* do the send */
+    if (0 > (ret = orte_rml.send_buffer_nb((orte_process_name_t*)hnp, cmd, ORTE_RML_TAG_DAEMON, 0,
+                                           send_cbfunc, NULL))) {
+        ORTE_ERROR_LOG(ret);
+        OBJ_RELEASE(cmd);
+        return ret;
+    }
+    
+    /* wait for send to complete */
+    ORTE_PROGRESSED_WAIT(timer_fired, 0, 1);
+    
+    /* did it succeed? */
+    if (ORTE_SUCCESS != error_exit) {
+        return error_exit;
+    }
+
     /* define a max time to wait for an answer */
     timer_fired = false;
     error_exit = ORTE_SUCCESS;
diff --git a/orte/util/show_help.c b/orte/util/show_help.c
index a7ca7e7679..cfd6df5fba 100644
--- a/orte/util/show_help.c
+++ b/orte/util/show_help.c
@@ -425,12 +425,12 @@ int orte_show_help(const char *filename, const char *topic,
     }
     
     /* if we are the HNP, or the RML has not yet been setup,
-     * or we don't yet know our HNP, then all we can do
+     * or we weren't given an HNP, then all we can do
      * is process this locally
      */
     if (ORTE_PROC_IS_HNP ||
         NULL == orte_rml.send_buffer ||
-        ORTE_PROC_MY_HNP->vpid == ORTE_VPID_INVALID) {
+        NULL == orte_process_info.my_hnp_uri) {
         rc = show_help(filename, topic, output, ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME);
     }