diff --git a/oshmem/mca/spml/ucx/spml_ucx.c b/oshmem/mca/spml/ucx/spml_ucx.c
index 99243b1fff..b07637d8af 100644
--- a/oshmem/mca/spml/ucx/spml_ucx.c
+++ b/oshmem/mca/spml/ucx/spml_ucx.c
@@ -573,19 +573,17 @@ static inline void _ctx_add(mca_spml_ucx_ctx_array_t *array, mca_spml_ucx_ctx_t
     array->ctxs_count++;
 }
 
-static inline void _ctx_remove(mca_spml_ucx_ctx_array_t *array, mca_spml_ucx_ctx_t *ctx)
+static inline void _ctx_remove(mca_spml_ucx_ctx_array_t *array, mca_spml_ucx_ctx_t *ctx, int i)
 {
-    int i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < array->ctxs_count; i++) {
+    for (; i < array->ctxs_count; i++) {
         if (array->ctxs[i] == ctx) {
             array->ctxs[i] = array->ctxs[array->ctxs_count-1];
             array->ctxs[array->ctxs_count-1] = NULL;
+            array->ctxs_count--;
             break;
         }
     }
 
-    array->ctxs_count--;
     opal_atomic_wmb ();
 }
 
@@ -681,27 +679,45 @@ static int mca_spml_ucx_ctx_create_common(long options, mca_spml_ucx_ctx_t **ucx
 
 int mca_spml_ucx_ctx_create(long options, shmem_ctx_t *ctx)
 {
-    mca_spml_ucx_ctx_t *ucx_ctx;
-    int rc;
+    mca_spml_ucx_ctx_t *ucx_ctx = NULL;
+    mca_spml_ucx_ctx_array_t *idle_array = &mca_spml_ucx.idle_array;
+    mca_spml_ucx_ctx_array_t *active_array = &mca_spml_ucx.active_array;
+    int i = 0, rc = OSHMEM_SUCCESS;
 
     /* Take a lock controlling context creation. AUX context may set specific
      * UCX parameters affecting worker creation, which are not needed for
      * regular contexts. */
-    pthread_mutex_lock(&mca_spml_ucx.ctx_create_mutex);
-    rc = mca_spml_ucx_ctx_create_common(options, &ucx_ctx);
-    pthread_mutex_unlock(&mca_spml_ucx.ctx_create_mutex);
-    if (rc != OSHMEM_SUCCESS) {
-        return rc;
-    }
-
-    if (mca_spml_ucx.active_array.ctxs_count == 0) {
-        opal_progress_register(spml_ucx_ctx_progress);
-    }
 
+    /* Check if we have an idle context to reuse */
     SHMEM_MUTEX_LOCK(mca_spml_ucx.internal_mutex);
-    _ctx_add(&mca_spml_ucx.active_array, ucx_ctx);
+    for (i = 0; i < idle_array->ctxs_count; i++) {
+        if (idle_array->ctxs[i]->options & options) {
+            ucx_ctx = idle_array->ctxs[i];
+            _ctx_remove(idle_array, ucx_ctx, i);
+            break;
+        }
+    }
     SHMEM_MUTEX_UNLOCK(mca_spml_ucx.internal_mutex);
 
+    /* If we cannot reuse, create new ctx */
+    if (ucx_ctx == NULL) {
+        pthread_mutex_lock(&mca_spml_ucx.ctx_create_mutex);
+        rc = mca_spml_ucx_ctx_create_common(options, &ucx_ctx);
+        pthread_mutex_unlock(&mca_spml_ucx.ctx_create_mutex);
+        if (rc != OSHMEM_SUCCESS) {
+            return rc;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    if (!(options & SHMEM_CTX_PRIVATE)) {
+        SHMEM_MUTEX_LOCK(mca_spml_ucx.internal_mutex);
+        _ctx_add(&mca_spml_ucx.active_array, ucx_ctx);
+        if (mca_spml_ucx.active_array.ctxs_count == 0) {
+            opal_progress_register(spml_ucx_ctx_progress);
+        }
+        SHMEM_MUTEX_UNLOCK(mca_spml_ucx.internal_mutex);
+    }
+
     (*ctx) = (shmem_ctx_t)ucx_ctx;
     return OSHMEM_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -711,13 +727,14 @@ void mca_spml_ucx_ctx_destroy(shmem_ctx_t ctx)
     MCA_SPML_CALL(quiet(ctx));
 
     SHMEM_MUTEX_LOCK(mca_spml_ucx.internal_mutex);
-    _ctx_remove(&mca_spml_ucx.active_array, (mca_spml_ucx_ctx_t *)ctx);
+    if (!(((mca_spml_ucx_ctx_t *)ctx)->options & SHMEM_CTX_PRIVATE)) {
+        _ctx_remove(&mca_spml_ucx.active_array, (mca_spml_ucx_ctx_t *)ctx, 0);
+    }
     _ctx_add(&mca_spml_ucx.idle_array, (mca_spml_ucx_ctx_t *)ctx);
-    SHMEM_MUTEX_UNLOCK(mca_spml_ucx.internal_mutex);
-
     if (!mca_spml_ucx.active_array.ctxs_count) {
         opal_progress_unregister(spml_ucx_ctx_progress);
     }
+    SHMEM_MUTEX_UNLOCK(mca_spml_ucx.internal_mutex);
 }
 
 int mca_spml_ucx_get(shmem_ctx_t ctx, void *src_addr, size_t size, void *dst_addr, int src)