diff --git a/src/mca/llm/hostfile/src/llm_hostfile_component.c b/src/mca/llm/hostfile/src/llm_hostfile_component.c
index e9ed971e84..0cff22fee3 100644
--- a/src/mca/llm/hostfile/src/llm_hostfile_component.c
+++ b/src/mca/llm/hostfile/src/llm_hostfile_component.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ mca_llm_hostfile_component_open(void)
     param_filename = mca_base_param_register_string("llm",
                                                     "hostfile",
                                                     "hostfile",
-                                                    "hostfile",
+                                                    NULL,
                                                     default_path);
     if (NULL != default_path) free(default_path);