diff --git a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c
index d0a1129f81..f0262a89c6 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c
+++ b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.c
@@ -182,6 +182,9 @@ orte_default_comm_fn_t orte_comm;
 bool orte_report_child_jobs_separately;
 struct timeval orte_child_time_to_exit;
 
+/* VM control */
+bool orte_vm_launch = false;
+
 #endif /* !ORTE_DISABLE_FULL_RTE */
 
 int orte_debug_output = -1;
diff --git a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h
index 7d0bf292bc..b33b81ea6f 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h
+++ b/orte/runtime/orte_globals.h
@@ -722,6 +722,10 @@ ORTE_DECLSPEC int orte_global_comm(orte_process_name_t *recipient,
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern bool orte_report_child_jobs_separately;
 ORTE_DECLSPEC extern struct timeval orte_child_time_to_exit;
 
+
+/* VM control */
+ORTE_DECLSPEC extern bool orte_vm_launch;
+
 #endif /* ORTE_DISABLE_FULL_SUPPORT */
 
 END_C_DECLS
diff --git a/orte/runtime/orte_mca_params.c b/orte/runtime/orte_mca_params.c
index a6e88ad27a..338be8130d 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/orte_mca_params.c
+++ b/orte/runtime/orte_mca_params.c
@@ -507,6 +507,11 @@ int orte_register_params(void)
     orte_child_time_to_exit.tv_sec = value;
     orte_child_time_to_exit.tv_usec = 0;
  
+    mca_base_param_reg_int_name("orte", "vm_launch",
+                                "Launch daemons on all nodes at start to form a virtual machine for subsequent jobs",
+                                false, false, (int)false, &value);
+    orte_vm_launch = OPAL_INT_TO_BOOL(value);
+
 #endif /* ORTE_DISABLE_FULL_SUPPORT */
     
     return ORTE_SUCCESS;
diff --git a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
index f64912126b..548568bfa2 100644
--- a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
+++ b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ static opal_cmd_line_init_t cmd_line_init[] = {
       "Max number of times to restart a failed process" },
 
     { "orte", "vm", "launch", '\0', "vm", "vm", 0,
-      &orterun_globals.launch_vm, OPAL_CMD_LINE_TYPE_BOOL,
+      NULL, OPAL_CMD_LINE_TYPE_BOOL,
       "Launch daemons on all nodes at start to create a virtual machine [Default = false]" },
 
 #if OPAL_ENABLE_CRDEBUG == 1
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ int orterun(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
     
     /* if we are launching the vm, now is the time to do so */
-    if (orterun_globals.launch_vm) {
+    if (orte_vm_launch) {
         int32_t ljob, i;
         orte_app_context_t *app;
 
@@ -874,7 +874,6 @@ static int init_globals(void)
         orterun_globals.report_pid        = NULL;
         orterun_globals.report_uri        = NULL;
         orterun_globals.disable_recovery = false;
-        orterun_globals.launch_vm = false;
     }
 
     /* Reset the other fields every time */
diff --git a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.h b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.h
index b00c47262f..f783100cbc 100644
--- a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.h
+++ b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.h
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ struct orterun_globals_t {
     char *sstore_load;
 #endif
     bool disable_recovery;
-    bool launch_vm;
 };
 
 /**