diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 6f82f993b52..3c6ec8f7fc8 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ Master (not on release branches yet)
 ------------------------------------
 
 - Fix rank-by algorithms to properly rank by object and span
+- Do not build Open SHMEM layer when there are no SPMLs available.
+  Currently, this means the Open SHMEM layer will only build if
+  a MXM or UCX library is found.
 
 3.1.0 -- May, 2018
 ------------------
diff --git a/config/opal_summary.m4 b/config/opal_summary.m4
index 358dc2f71f4..95ba540fb36 100644
--- a/config/opal_summary.m4
+++ b/config/opal_summary.m4
@@ -76,8 +76,10 @@ EOF
 
     if test "$project_oshmem_amc" = "true" ; then
         echo "Build Open SHMEM support: yes"
-    else
+    elif test -z "$project_oshmem_amc" ; then
         echo "Build Open SHMEM support: no"
+    else
+	echo "Build Open SHMEM support: $project_oshmem_amc"
     fi
 
     if test $WANT_DEBUG = 0 ; then
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4489b8ad98c..511e0100a6c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -272,8 +272,8 @@ m4_ifndef([project_ompi], [project_ompi_amc=false])
 AS_IF([test "$enable_orte" != "no"], [project_orte_amc=true], [project_orte_amc=false])
 m4_ifndef([project_orte], [project_orte_amc=false])
 
-AS_IF([test "$enable_oshmem" != "no"], [project_oshmem_amc=true], [project_oshmem_amc=false])
-m4_ifndef([project_oshmem], [project_oshmem_amc=false])
+AS_IF([test "$enable_oshmem" != "no"], [project_oshmem_amc=true], [project_oshmem_amc="no (disabled)"])
+m4_ifndef([project_oshmem], [project_oshmem_amc="no (not available)"])
 
 if test "$enable_binaries" = "no" && test "$enable_dist" = "yes"; then
     AC_MSG_WARN([--disable-binaries is incompatible with --enable dist])
@@ -1106,6 +1106,23 @@ OPAL_MCA
 
 m4_ifdef([project_ompi], [OMPI_REQUIRE_ENDPOINT_TAG_FINI])
 
+# Last minute disable of OpenSHMEM if we didn't find any oshmem SPMLs
+if test "$project_oshmem_amc" = "true" && test $OSHMEM_FOUND_WORKING_SPML -eq 0 ; then
+    # We don't have an spml that will work, so oshmem wouldn't be able
+    # to run an application.  Therefore, don't build the oshmem layer.
+    if test "$enable_oshmem" != "no" && test -n "$enable_oshmem"; then
+	AC_MSG_WARN([No spml found, so OpenSHMEM layer will be non functional.])
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([Aborting because OpenSHMEM requested, but can not build.])
+    else
+	AC_MSG_WARN([No spml found.  Will not build OpenSHMEM layer.])
+	project_oshmem_amc="false (no spml)"
+	# now for the hard part, remove project from list that will
+	# run.  This is a hack, but it works as long as the project
+	# remains named "oshmem".
+	MCA_PROJECT_SUBDIRS=`echo "$MCA_PROJECT_SUBDIRS" | sed -e 's/oshmem//'`
+    fi
+fi
+
 # checkpoint results
 AC_CACHE_SAVE
 
diff --git a/oshmem/mca/spml/configure.m4 b/oshmem/mca/spml/configure.m4
index 4113cb92a32..6f6ceca5fc2 100644
--- a/oshmem/mca/spml/configure.m4
+++ b/oshmem/mca/spml/configure.m4
@@ -16,4 +16,10 @@ AC_DEFUN([MCA_oshmem_spml_CONFIG],[
 
     # this is a direct callable component, so set that up.
     MCA_SETUP_DIRECT_CALL($1, $2)
+
+    if test -z "$MCA_$1_$2_DSO_COMPONENTS" && test -z "$MCA_$1_$2_STATIC_COMPONENTS"; then
+	OSHMEM_FOUND_WORKING_SPML=0
+    else
+	OSHMEM_FOUND_WORKING_SPML=1
+    fi
 ])