diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps.h b/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps.h
index d42b4f9920..f44d586b67 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps.h
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ struct orte_plm_alps_component_t {
     int priority;
     int debug;
     bool timing;
+    char *aprun_cmd;
     char *custom_args;
 };
 typedef struct orte_plm_alps_component_t orte_plm_alps_component_t;
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_component.c b/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_component.c
index 3716053f21..511275efa8 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_component.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_component.c
@@ -102,9 +102,14 @@ static int plm_alps_open(void)
                            &mca_plm_alps_component.priority);
 
     mca_plm_alps_component.timing = orte_timing;
-    
+
+    mca_base_param_reg_string(comp, "aprun",
+                              "Command to run instead of aprun",
+                              false, false, "aprun",
+                              &mca_plm_alps_component.aprun_cmd);
+
     mca_base_param_reg_string(comp, "args",
-                              "Custom arguments to srun",
+                              "Custom arguments to aprun",
                               false, false, NULL,
                               &mca_plm_alps_component.custom_args);
 
diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_module.c b/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_module.c
index a103d4e71b..8bc2a7cfba 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_module.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/alps/plm_alps_module.c
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ static int plm_alps_launch_job(orte_job_t *jdata)
      */
 
     /* add the aprun command */
-    opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, "aprun");
+    opal_argv_append(&argc, &argv, mca_plm_alps_component.aprun_cmd);
 
     /* Append user defined arguments to aprun */
     if ( NULL != mca_plm_alps_component.custom_args ) {