diff --git a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals.c b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals.c
index d28e66ab15..e04b0631d0 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals.c
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ ompi_mtl_portals_add_procs(struct mca_mtl_base_module_t *mtl,
         md.length = 0;
         md.threshold = PTL_MD_THRESH_INF;
         md.max_size = 0;
-        md.options = (PTL_MD_OP_PUT | PTL_MD_TRUNCATE | PTL_MD_ACK_DISABLE | PTL_MD_EVENT_START_DISABLE);
+        md.options = (PTL_MD_OP_PUT | PTL_MD_TRUNCATE | PTL_MD_ACK_DISABLE);
         md.eq_handle = ompi_mtl_portals.ptl_unexpected_recv_eq_h;
 
         ret = PtlMDAttach(ompi_mtl_portals.ptl_unexpected_me_h,
diff --git a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals.h b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals.h
index 2bc4034e63..fa2c2bb7f4 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals.h
+++ b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ extern mca_mtl_portals_module_t ompi_mtl_portals;
 struct ompi_mtl_portals_event_t {
     struct ompi_free_list_item_t super;
     ptl_event_t ev;
+    bool is_complete;
 };
 typedef struct ompi_mtl_portals_event_t ompi_mtl_portals_event_t;
 OBJ_CLASS_DECLARATION(ompi_mtl_portals_event_t);
diff --git a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals_recv.c b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals_recv.c
index b6f53975dd..19a4683d9e 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals_recv.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/mtl/portals/mtl_portals_recv.c
@@ -219,6 +219,155 @@ ompi_mtl_portals_get_data(ompi_mtl_portals_event_t *recv_event,
     return OMPI_SUCCESS;
 }
 
+
+static void
+ompi_mtl_portals_match_up_put_end(ptl_seq_t link)
+{
+    opal_list_item_t *list_item;
+
+    /* match up a PUT_END event with its corresponding PUT_START event */
+    list_item = opal_list_get_first(&ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages);
+    while (list_item != opal_list_get_end(&ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages)) {
+        opal_list_item_t *next_item = opal_list_get_next(list_item);
+        ompi_mtl_portals_event_t *recv_event = (ompi_mtl_portals_event_t*) list_item;
+        if (recv_event->ev.link == link) {
+            recv_event->is_complete = true;
+            return;
+        }
+        list_item = next_item;
+    }
+
+    /* should never get here */
+    abort(); 
+}
+
+
+static void 
+ompi_mtl_portals_wait_for_put_end(ptl_seq_t link)
+{
+    ptl_event_t ev;
+    int ret;
+
+    /* wait for a PUT_END event that matches the message we're looking for */
+    while (true) {
+        ret = PtlEQWait(ompi_mtl_portals.ptl_unexpected_recv_eq_h,&ev);
+        if (PTL_OK == ret) {
+            if (PTL_EVENT_PUT_START == ev.type) {
+                ompi_free_list_item_t *item;
+                ompi_mtl_portals_event_t *recv_event;
+
+                OMPI_FREE_LIST_GET(&ompi_mtl_portals.event_fl, item, ret);
+                recv_event = (ompi_mtl_portals_event_t*) item;
+                recv_event->ev = ev;
+                recv_event->is_complete = false;
+                opal_list_append(&(ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages),
+                                 (opal_list_item_t*) recv_event);
+
+               if (PTL_IS_SHORT_MSG(recv_event->ev.match_bits)) {
+                    ompi_mtl_portals_recv_short_block_t *block =
+                        recv_event->ev.md.user_ptr;
+                    OPAL_THREAD_ADD32(&block->pending, 1);
+               }
+
+            } else if (PTL_EVENT_PUT_END == ev.type) {
+                if (link == ev.link) {
+                    /* the one we want */
+                    return;
+                }
+                /* otherwise match it up */
+                ompi_mtl_portals_match_up_put_end(ev.link);
+            } else {
+                abort(); 
+            }
+        } else {
+            abort();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
+static ompi_mtl_portals_event_t*
+ompi_mtl_portals_search_unex_events(ptl_match_bits_t match_bits,
+                                    ptl_match_bits_t ignore_bits)
+{
+    ptl_event_t ev;
+    int ret;
+
+    /* check to see if there are any events in the unexpected event queue */ 
+    while (true) {
+        ret = PtlEQGet(ompi_mtl_portals.ptl_unexpected_recv_eq_h,&ev);
+        if (PTL_OK == ret) {
+            if (PTL_EVENT_PUT_START == ev.type) {
+                ompi_free_list_item_t *item;
+                ompi_mtl_portals_event_t *recv_event;
+
+                OMPI_FREE_LIST_GET(&ompi_mtl_portals.event_fl, item, ret);
+                recv_event = (ompi_mtl_portals_event_t*) item;
+                recv_event->ev = ev;
+                recv_event->is_complete = false;
+
+               if (PTL_IS_SHORT_MSG(recv_event->ev.match_bits)) {
+                    ompi_mtl_portals_recv_short_block_t *block =
+                        recv_event->ev.md.user_ptr;
+                    OPAL_THREAD_ADD32(&block->pending, 1);
+               }
+                if (CHECK_MATCH(recv_event->ev.match_bits, match_bits, ignore_bits)) {
+                    /* the one we want */
+                    ompi_mtl_portals_wait_for_put_end(recv_event->ev.link);
+                    return recv_event; 
+                } else {
+                    /* not the one we want, so add it to the unex list */
+                    opal_list_append(&(ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages),
+                                     (opal_list_item_t*) recv_event);
+                }
+            } else if (PTL_EVENT_PUT_END == ev.type) {
+                /* can't be the one we want */
+                ompi_mtl_portals_match_up_put_end(ev.link);
+            } else {
+                abort();
+            }
+        } else if (PTL_EQ_EMPTY == ret) {
+            break; 
+        } else {
+            abort();
+        }
+    }
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+
+static ompi_mtl_portals_event_t*
+ompi_mtl_portals_search_unex_q( ptl_match_bits_t match_bits,
+                                ptl_match_bits_t ignore_bits )
+{
+    opal_list_item_t *list_item;
+    ompi_mtl_portals_event_t *recv_event = NULL;
+
+    /* check the queue of processed unexpected messages */
+    list_item = opal_list_get_first(&ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages);
+    while (list_item != opal_list_get_end(&ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages)) {
+        opal_list_item_t *next_item = opal_list_get_next(list_item);
+
+        recv_event = (ompi_mtl_portals_event_t*) list_item;
+        if (CHECK_MATCH(recv_event->ev.match_bits, match_bits, ignore_bits)) {
+            /* we have a match... */
+            if ( false == recv_event->is_complete) {
+                /* wait for put end event */
+                ompi_mtl_portals_wait_for_put_end(recv_event->ev.link);
+            }
+            opal_list_remove_item(&(ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages),
+                                  list_item);
+            return recv_event;
+        }
+        list_item = next_item;
+    }
+
+    /* didn't find it */
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+
 int
 ompi_mtl_portals_irecv(struct mca_mtl_base_module_t* mtl,
                        struct ompi_communicator_t *comm,
@@ -234,9 +383,9 @@ ompi_mtl_portals_irecv(struct mca_mtl_base_module_t* mtl,
     int ret;
     ptl_process_id_t remote_proc;
     mca_mtl_base_endpoint_t *endpoint = NULL;
-    opal_list_item_t *list_item;
     ompi_mtl_portals_request_t *ptl_request = 
         (ompi_mtl_portals_request_t*) mtl_request;
+    ompi_mtl_portals_event_t *recv_event = NULL;
     size_t buflen;
 
     ptl_request->convertor = convertor;
@@ -258,65 +407,27 @@ ompi_mtl_portals_irecv(struct mca_mtl_base_module_t* mtl,
                          match_bits, ignore_bits));
 
     /* first, check the queue of processed unexpected messages */
-    list_item = opal_list_get_first(&ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages);
-    while (list_item != opal_list_get_end(&ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages)) {
-        opal_list_item_t *next_item = opal_list_get_next(list_item);
-        ompi_mtl_portals_event_t *recv_event = 
-            (ompi_mtl_portals_event_t*) list_item;
-
-        if (CHECK_MATCH(recv_event->ev.match_bits, match_bits, ignore_bits)) {
-            /* we have a match... */
-            opal_list_remove_item(&(ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages),
-                                  list_item);
+    recv_event = ompi_mtl_portals_search_unex_q(match_bits, ignore_bits);
+    if (NULL != recv_event) {
+        /* found it */
+        ompi_mtl_portals_get_data(recv_event, convertor, ptl_request);
+        OMPI_FREE_LIST_RETURN(&ompi_mtl_portals.event_fl,
+                              (ompi_free_list_item_t*)recv_event);
+        goto cleanup;
+    } else {
+restart_search:
+        /* check unexpected events */
+        recv_event = ompi_mtl_portals_search_unex_events(match_bits, ignore_bits);
+        if (NULL != recv_event) {
+            /* found it */
             ompi_mtl_portals_get_data(recv_event, convertor, ptl_request);
-            OMPI_FREE_LIST_RETURN(&ompi_mtl_portals.event_fl, 
-                                  (ompi_free_list_item_t*) list_item);
+            OMPI_FREE_LIST_RETURN(&ompi_mtl_portals.event_fl,
+                                  (ompi_free_list_item_t*)recv_event);
             goto cleanup;
         }
-        list_item = next_item;
     }
 
-    /* now check the unexpected queue */
- restart_search:
-    while (true) {
-        ompi_free_list_item_t *item;
-        ompi_mtl_portals_event_t *recv_event;
-
-        OMPI_FREE_LIST_GET(&ompi_mtl_portals.event_fl, item, ret);
-        recv_event = (ompi_mtl_portals_event_t*) item;
-        ret = PtlEQGet(ompi_mtl_portals.ptl_unexpected_recv_eq_h,
-                       &recv_event->ev);
-        if (PTL_OK == ret) {
-            switch (recv_event->ev.type) {
-            case PTL_EVENT_PUT_START:
-                if (PTL_IS_SHORT_MSG(recv_event->ev.match_bits)) {
-                    ompi_mtl_portals_recv_short_block_t *block =
-                        recv_event->ev.md.user_ptr;
-                    OPAL_THREAD_ADD32(&block->pending, 1);
-                }
-                break;
-            case PTL_EVENT_PUT_END:
-                if (CHECK_MATCH(recv_event->ev.match_bits, match_bits, ignore_bits)) {
-                    /* we have a match... */
-                    ompi_mtl_portals_get_data(recv_event, convertor, ptl_request);
-                    goto cleanup;
-                } else {
-                    /* not ours - put in unexpected queue */
-                    opal_list_append(&(ompi_mtl_portals.unexpected_messages),
-                                     (opal_list_item_t*) recv_event);
-                }
-                break;
-            default:
-                break;
-            }
-        } else if (PTL_EQ_EMPTY == ret) {
-            break;
-        } else {
-            abort();
-        }
-    }
-
-    /* now post the receive */
+    /* didn't find it, now post the receive */
     ret = ompi_mtl_datatype_recv_buf(convertor, &md.start, &buflen,
                                      &ptl_request->free_after);
     md.length = buflen;