diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib.h b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib.h
index bd24172396..0590605213 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib.h
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib.h
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ struct mca_btl_openib_component_t {
     uint32_t ib_rnr_retry;
     uint32_t ib_max_rdma_dst_ops;
     uint32_t ib_service_level;
-    uint32_t use_eager_rdma;
+    int32_t use_eager_rdma;
     int32_t eager_rdma_threshold; /**< After this number of msg, use RDMA for short messages, always */
     int32_t eager_rdma_num;
     int32_t max_eager_rdma;
diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c
index 7dc981b0dd..56ec3cf24e 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_component.c
@@ -877,9 +877,8 @@ static int prepare_hca_for_use(mca_btl_openib_hca_t *hca)
     hca->endpoints = OBJ_NEW(opal_pointer_array_t);
     opal_pointer_array_init(hca->endpoints, 10, INT_MAX, 10);
     opal_pointer_array_add(&mca_btl_openib_component.hcas, hca);
-    if(mca_btl_openib_component.max_eager_rdma > 0 &&
-            mca_btl_openib_component.use_eager_rdma &&
-            hca->use_eager_rdma) {
+    if (mca_btl_openib_component.max_eager_rdma > 0 &&
+        hca->use_eager_rdma) {
         hca->eager_rdma_buffers =
             calloc(mca_btl_openib_component.max_eager_rdma * hca->btls,
                     sizeof(mca_btl_openib_endpoint_t*));
@@ -1558,10 +1557,20 @@ static int init_one_hca(opal_list_t *btl_list, struct ibv_device* ib_dev)
         }
     }
 
-    /* If "use eager rdma" was set, then enable it on this HCA */
-    if (values.use_eager_rdma_set) {
+    /* Should we use RDMA for short / eager messages?  First check MCA
+       param, then check INI file values. */
+    if (mca_btl_openib_component.use_eager_rdma >= 0) {
+        hca->use_eager_rdma = mca_btl_openib_component.use_eager_rdma;
+    } else if (values.use_eager_rdma_set) {
         hca->use_eager_rdma = values.use_eager_rdma;
     }
+    /* Eager RDMA is not currently supported with progress threads */
+    if (hca->use_eager_rdma && OMPI_ENABLE_PROGRESS_THREADS) {
+        hca->use_eager_rdma = 0;
+        orte_show_help("help-mpi-btl-openib.txt", 
+                       "eager RDMA and progress threads", true);
+    }
+    opal_output(0, "Using eager rdma: %d\n", hca->use_eager_rdma);
 
 #if HAVE_XRC
     /* if user configured to run with XRC qp and the device doesn't
diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_mca.c b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_mca.c
index 3340b5f4e1..ea0d05f279 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_mca.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/btl_openib_mca.c
@@ -223,7 +223,8 @@ int btl_openib_register_mca_params(void)
         mca_btl_openib_component.ib_cq_size[BTL_OPENIB_HP_CQ] = (uint32_t) ival;
 
     CHECK(reg_int("ib_max_inline_data", "Maximum size of inline data segment "
-                  "(-1 = use per-device devaults, 0 = run-time probe to discover max value, "
+                  "(-1 = use device default, "
+                  "0 = run-time probe to discover max value, "
                   "otherwise must be >= 1)",
                   -1, &ival, REGINT_NEG_ONE_OK | REGINT_GE_ZERO));
     mca_btl_openib_component.ib_max_inline_data = (int32_t) ival;
@@ -365,13 +366,11 @@ int btl_openib_register_mca_params(void)
     }
     mca_btl_openib_component.ib_service_level = (uint32_t) ival;
 
-    CHECK(reg_int("use_eager_rdma", "Use RDMA for eager messages",
-                  1, &ival, 0));
-    mca_btl_openib_component.use_eager_rdma = (uint32_t) (ival != 0);
-#if OMPI_ENABLE_PROGRESS_THREADS == 1
-    /* Fast rdma path isn't supported by PROGRESS_THREAD */
-    mca_btl_openib_component.use_eager_rdma = 0;
-#endif
+    CHECK(reg_int("use_eager_rdma", "Use RDMA for eager messages "
+                  "(-1 = use device default, 0 = do not use eager RDMA, "
+                  "1 = use eager RDMA)",
+                  -1, &ival, 0));
+    mca_btl_openib_component.use_eager_rdma = (int32_t) ival;
 
     CHECK(reg_int("eager_rdma_threshold",
                   "Use RDMA for short messages after this number of "
diff --git a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/help-mpi-btl-openib.txt b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/help-mpi-btl-openib.txt
index 665d7f6a62..22efce4313 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/btl/openib/help-mpi-btl-openib.txt
+++ b/ompi/mca/btl/openib/help-mpi-btl-openib.txt
@@ -537,3 +537,11 @@ support) will be disabled.
 
 Host:           %s
 Device:         %s
+#
+[eager RDMA and progress threads]
+WARNING: The openib BTL was directed to use "eager RDMA" for short
+messages, but the openib BTL was compiled with progress threads
+support.  Short eager RDMA is not yet supported with progress threads;
+its use has been disabled in this job.  
+
+This is a warning only; you job will attempt to continue.