diff --git a/orte/mca/rmaps/rank_file/help-rmaps_rank_file.txt b/orte/mca/rmaps/rank_file/help-rmaps_rank_file.txt
index f7dde243f1..0b7e7eff23 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rmaps/rank_file/help-rmaps_rank_file.txt
+++ b/orte/mca/rmaps/rank_file/help-rmaps_rank_file.txt
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ Please verify that you have specified the allocated resources properly in
 the provided rankfile.
 
 [bad-host]
-Rankfile claimed host %s that was not allocated or oversubscribed it's slots:
+Rankfile claimed host %s that was not allocated or oversubscribed it's slots.
+Please review your rank-slot assignments and your host allocation to ensure
+a proper match.
 
 [orte-rmaps-rf:alloc-error]
 There are not enough slots available in the system to satisfy the %d slots
diff --git a/orte/mca/rmaps/rank_file/rmaps_rank_file.c b/orte/mca/rmaps/rank_file/rmaps_rank_file.c
index 21e5ef4fbe..2179764e7d 100644
--- a/orte/mca/rmaps/rank_file/rmaps_rank_file.c
+++ b/orte/mca/rmaps/rank_file/rmaps_rank_file.c
@@ -420,9 +420,14 @@ static int orte_rmaps_rf_map(orte_job_t *jdata)
                 return ORTE_ERR_SILENT;
             }
             if (ORTE_SUCCESS != (rc = orte_rmaps_base_claim_slot(jdata, node, rank, rfmap->slot_list,
-                                                                 app->idx, &node_list, jdata->map->oversubscribe, false))) {
-                ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
-                return rc;
+                                                                 app->idx, &node_list, jdata->map->oversubscribe, true))) {
+                if (ORTE_ERR_NODE_FULLY_USED != rc) {
+                    /* if this is a true error and not the node just being
+                     * full, then report the error and abort
+                     */
+                    ORTE_ERROR_LOG(rc);
+                    return rc;
+                }
             }
             jdata->num_procs++;
         }