diff --git a/ompi/instance/instance.c b/ompi/instance/instance.c
index 704135b21f6..98d3bf82a8b 100644
--- a/ompi/instance/instance.c
+++ b/ompi/instance/instance.c
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 #include "ompi/mca/pml/base/base.h"
 #include "ompi/mca/coll/base/base.h"
 #include "ompi/mca/osc/base/base.h"
+#include "ompi/mca/part/base/base.h"
 #include "ompi/mca/io/base/base.h"
 #include "ompi/mca/topo/base/base.h"
 #include "opal/mca/pmix/base/base.h"
@@ -626,6 +627,15 @@ static int ompi_mpi_instance_init_common (void)
         return ompi_instance_print_error ("ompi_win_init() failed", ret);
     }
 
+    /* initialize partcomm */
+    if (OMPI_SUCCESS != (ret = mca_base_framework_open(&ompi_part_base_framework, 0))) {
+        return ompi_instance_print_error ("mca_part_base_select() failed", ret);
+    }
+
+    if (OMPI_SUCCESS != (ret = mca_part_base_select (true, true))) {
+        return ompi_instance_print_error ("mca_part_base_select() failed", ret);
+    }
+
     /* Setup the dynamic process management (DPM) subsystem */
     if (OMPI_SUCCESS != (ret = ompi_dpm_init ())) {
         return ompi_instance_print_error ("ompi_dpm_init() failed", ret);