diff --git a/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_module.c b/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_module.c
index c1b33e6569..b0eff310d7 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_module.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/bcol/basesmuma/bcol_basesmuma_module.c
@@ -480,9 +480,12 @@ mca_bcol_basesmuma_comm_query(mca_sbgp_base_module_t *module, int *num_modules)
 
     sm_module->super.supported_mode = 0;
 
+    /* NTH: this is not set anywhere on the trunk as of 08/13/13 */
+#if 0
     if (module->use_hdl) {
         sm_module->super.supported_mode = MCA_BCOL_BASE_ZERO_COPY;
     }
+#endif
 
 	/* Initializes portals library required for basesmuma large message */
 #ifdef __PORTALS_AVAIL__
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml.h b/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml.h
index 5c32117fe6..e129ddc53e 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml.h
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml.h
@@ -525,8 +525,8 @@ struct mca_coll_ml_component_t {
     /* use hdl_framework */
     bool use_hdl_bcast;
 
-    /* Enable / Disable fragmentation */
-    bool enable_fragmentation;
+    /* Enable / Disable fragmentation (0 - off, 1 - on, 2 - auto) */
+    int enable_fragmentation;
 
     /* Use sequential bcast algorithm */
     bool use_sequential_bcast;
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_config.c b/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_config.c
index 041c09b4fd..7d8bba859a 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_config.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_config.c
@@ -276,9 +276,9 @@ static int set_section_name(section_config_t *section_config)
 void mca_coll_ml_reset_config(per_collective_configuration_t *config) 
 {
     config->topology_id = ML_UNDEFINED;
-    config->threshold = ML_UNDEFINED;;
-    config->algorithm_id = ML_UNDEFINED;;
-    config->fragmentation_enabled = ML_UNDEFINED;;
+    config->threshold = ML_UNDEFINED;
+    config->algorithm_id = ML_UNDEFINED;
+    config->fragmentation_enabled = ML_UNDEFINED;
 }
 
 static void reset_section(section_config_t *section_cf)
@@ -369,12 +369,12 @@ static int parse_fragmentation_key(section_config_t *section, char *value)
 }
 
 /* Save configuration that have been collected so far */
-static void save_settings(coll_config_t *coll_config)
+static int save_settings(coll_config_t *coll_config)
 {
     per_collective_configuration_t *cf;
 
     if (ML_UNDEFINED == coll_config->coll_id || ML_UNDEFINED == coll_config->section.section_id) {
-        return;
+        return OMPI_ERROR;
     }
 
     cf = &mca_coll_ml_component.coll_config[coll_config->coll_id][coll_config->section.section_id];
@@ -383,6 +383,8 @@ static void save_settings(coll_config_t *coll_config)
     cf->threshold = coll_config->section.config.threshold; 
     cf->algorithm_id = coll_config->section.config.algorithm_id;
     cf->fragmentation_enabled = coll_config->section.config.fragmentation_enabled;
+
+    return OMPI_SUCCESS;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -495,7 +497,7 @@ static int parse_file(char *filename)
 {
     int val;
     int ret = OMPI_SUCCESS;
-
+    bool first_section = true, first_coll = true;
     coll_config_t coll_config;
 
     memset (&coll_config, 0, sizeof (coll_config));
@@ -521,11 +523,21 @@ static int parse_file(char *filename)
             break;
         case COLL_ML_CONFIG_PARSE_COLLECTIVE:
             /* dump all the information to last section that was defined */
-            save_settings(&coll_config);
+            if (!first_coll) {
+                ret = save_settings(&coll_config);
 
+                if (OMPI_SUCCESS != ret) {
+                    ML_ERROR(("Error in syntax for collective %s", coll_config.coll_name));
+                    goto cleanup;
+                }
+            }
+            
             /* reset collective config */
             reset_collective(&coll_config);
 
+            first_coll    = false;
+            first_section = true;
+
             ret = set_collective_name(&coll_config);
             if (OMPI_SUCCESS != ret) {
                 goto cleanup;
@@ -538,8 +550,17 @@ static int parse_file(char *filename)
                 goto cleanup;
             }
 
-            /* dump all the information to last section that was defined */
-            save_settings(&coll_config);
+            if (!first_section) {
+                /* dump all the information to last section that was defined */
+                ret = save_settings(&coll_config);
+                if (OMPI_SUCCESS != ret) {
+                    ML_ERROR(("Error in syntax for collective %s section %s", coll_config.coll_name,
+                              coll_config.section.section_name));
+                    goto cleanup;
+                }
+            }
+
+            first_section = false;
 
             /* reset all section values */
             reset_section(&coll_config.section);
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_mca.c b/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_mca.c
index c523ad876f..c7e2ff2580 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_mca.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_mca.c
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C; c-basic-offset:4 ; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2009-2012 Oak Ridge National Laboratory.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2009-2012 Mellanox Technologies.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013      Los Alamos National Security, LLC. All rights
+ *                         reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  *
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -41,6 +44,15 @@ enum {
     REGSTR_MAX = 0x88
 };
 
+/*
+ * Enumerators
+ */
+mca_base_var_enum_value_t fragmentation_enable_enum[] = {
+    {0, "disable"},
+    {1, "enable"},
+    {2, "auto"}
+};
+
 /*
  * utility routine for string parameter registration
  */
@@ -172,6 +184,7 @@ static int mca_coll_ml_verify_params(void)
 
 int mca_coll_ml_register_params(void)
 {
+    mca_base_var_enum_t *new_enum;
     int ret, tmp;
     char *str = NULL;
 
@@ -241,9 +254,21 @@ int mca_coll_ml_register_params(void)
                   "Alltoall disabling",
                    false, &mca_coll_ml_component.disable_alltoall));
 
-    CHECK(reg_bool("enable_fragmentation", NULL,
-                   "Disable/Enable fragmentation for large messages",
-                   false, &mca_coll_ml_component.enable_fragmentation));
+    tmp = mca_base_var_enum_create ("coll_ml_enable_fragmentation_enum", fragmentation_enable_enum, &new_enum);
+    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != ret) {
+	return tmp;
+    }
+
+    /* default to auto-enable fragmentation */
+    mca_coll_ml_component.enable_fragmentation = 2;
+    tmp = mca_base_component_var_register (&mca_coll_ml_component.super.collm_version, "enable_fragmentation",
+					   "Disable/Enable fragmentation for large messages", MCA_BASE_VAR_TYPE_INT,
+					   new_enum, 0, 0, OPAL_INFO_LVL_9, MCA_BASE_VAR_SCOPE_READONLY,
+					   &mca_coll_ml_component.enable_fragmentation);
+    if (0 > tmp) {
+        ret = tmp;
+    }
+    OBJ_RELEASE(new_enum);
 
     CHECK(reg_int("use_brucks_smsg_alltoall", NULL,
                 "Use Bruck's Algo for Small Msg Alltoall"
diff --git a/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_module.c b/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_module.c
index 0200b51292..d4106c6221 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_module.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/coll/ml/coll_ml_module.c
@@ -3106,14 +3106,18 @@ static int mca_coll_ml_need_multi_topo(int bcol_collective)
 static int setup_bcast_table(mca_coll_ml_module_t *module)
 {
     mca_coll_ml_component_t *cm = &mca_coll_ml_component;
+    bool has_zero_copy;
 
     /* setup bcast index table */
     if (cm->use_static_bcast) {
         module->bcast_fn_index_table[0] = ML_BCAST_SMALL_DATA_KNOWN;
-        if (cm->enable_fragmentation) {
+
+	has_zero_copy = !!(MCA_BCOL_BASE_ZERO_COPY &
+			   module->coll_ml_bcast_functions[ML_BCAST_LARGE_DATA_KNOWN]->topo_info->all_bcols_mode);
+
+        if (1 == cm->enable_fragmentation || (2 == cm->enable_fragmentation && !has_zero_copy)) {
             module->bcast_fn_index_table[1] = ML_BCAST_SMALL_DATA_KNOWN;
-        } else if (!(MCA_BCOL_BASE_ZERO_COPY &
-                    module->coll_ml_bcast_functions[ML_BCAST_LARGE_DATA_KNOWN]->topo_info->all_bcols_mode)) {
+        } else if (!has_zero_copy) {
             ML_ERROR(("ML couldn't be used: because the mca param coll_ml_enable_fragmentation "
                       "was set to zero and there is a bcol doesn't support zero copy method."));
             return OMPI_ERROR;
@@ -3122,10 +3126,19 @@ static int setup_bcast_table(mca_coll_ml_module_t *module)
         }
     } else {
         module->bcast_fn_index_table[0] = ML_BCAST_SMALL_DATA_UNKNOWN;
-        if (cm->enable_fragmentation) {
+
+	if (NULL == module->coll_ml_bcast_functions[ML_BCAST_LARGE_DATA_UNKNOWN]) {
+	    ML_ERROR(("ML couldn't be used: because the mca param coll_ml_use_static_bcast was set "
+		      "to zero and no function is available."));
+	    return OMPI_ERROR;
+	}
+
+	has_zero_copy = !!(MCA_BCOL_BASE_ZERO_COPY &
+			   module->coll_ml_bcast_functions[ML_BCAST_LARGE_DATA_UNKNOWN]->topo_info->all_bcols_mode);
+
+        if (1 == cm->enable_fragmentation || (2 == cm->enable_fragmentation && !has_zero_copy)) {
             module->bcast_fn_index_table[1] = ML_BCAST_SMALL_DATA_UNKNOWN;
-        } else if (!(MCA_BCOL_BASE_ZERO_COPY &
-                    module->coll_ml_bcast_functions[ML_BCAST_LARGE_DATA_UNKNOWN]->topo_info->all_bcols_mode)) {
+        } else if (!has_zero_copy) {
             ML_ERROR(("ML couldn't be used: because the mca param coll_ml_enable_fragmentation "
                       "was set to zero and there is a bcol doesn't support zero copy method."));
             return OMPI_ERROR;