diff --git a/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_frame.c b/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_frame.c
index 40dbd237bd1..570c575501f 100644
--- a/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_frame.c
+++ b/opal/mca/hwloc/base/hwloc_base_frame.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ hwloc_cpuset_t opal_hwloc_base_given_cpus=NULL;
 opal_hwloc_base_map_t opal_hwloc_base_map = OPAL_HWLOC_BASE_MAP_NONE;
 opal_hwloc_base_mbfa_t opal_hwloc_base_mbfa = OPAL_HWLOC_BASE_MBFA_WARN;
 opal_binding_policy_t opal_hwloc_binding_policy=0;
+bool opal_hwloc_base_bind_direct_launched = false;
 char *opal_hwloc_base_slot_list=NULL;
 char *opal_hwloc_base_cpu_set=NULL;
 bool opal_hwloc_report_bindings=false;
@@ -165,6 +166,12 @@ static int opal_hwloc_base_register(mca_base_register_flag_t flags)
                                  MCA_BASE_VAR_TYPE_STRING, NULL, 0, 0, OPAL_INFO_LVL_9,
                                  MCA_BASE_VAR_SCOPE_READONLY, &opal_hwloc_base_topo_file);
 
+    opal_hwloc_base_bind_direct_launched = true;
+    (void) mca_base_var_register("opal", "hwloc", "base", "bind_direct_launched",
+                                 "bind processes when direct launched ",
+                                 MCA_BASE_VAR_TYPE_BOOL, NULL, 0, 0, OPAL_INFO_LVL_9,
+                                 MCA_BASE_VAR_SCOPE_READONLY, &opal_hwloc_base_bind_direct_launched);
+
     /* register parameters */
     return OPAL_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/opal/mca/hwloc/hwloc.h b/opal/mca/hwloc/hwloc.h
index a074be86e03..688671b1e7d 100644
--- a/opal/mca/hwloc/hwloc.h
+++ b/opal/mca/hwloc/hwloc.h
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ OPAL_DECLSPEC extern hwloc_cpuset_t opal_hwloc_my_cpuset;
 OPAL_DECLSPEC extern bool opal_hwloc_report_bindings;
 OPAL_DECLSPEC extern hwloc_obj_type_t opal_hwloc_levels[];
 OPAL_DECLSPEC extern bool opal_hwloc_use_hwthreads_as_cpus;
+OPAL_DECLSPEC extern bool opal_hwloc_base_bind_direct_launched;
 
 END_C_DECLS
 
diff --git a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_fns.c b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_fns.c
index ab121720431..feb39e41223 100644
--- a/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_fns.c
+++ b/orte/mca/ess/base/ess_base_fns.c
@@ -68,6 +68,14 @@ int orte_ess_base_proc_binding(void)
         }
     }
 
+    /* direct launched: use whatever the extarnal launcher has set */
+    if ((NULL == orte_process_info.my_daemon_uri) && !opal_hwloc_base_bind_direct_launched) {
+        OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((5, orte_ess_base_framework.framework_output,
+                             "%s Process externally launched -- use their binding",
+                             ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME)));
+        goto MOVEON;
+    }
+
     /* see if we were bound when launched */
     if (!orte_proc_is_bound) {
         OPAL_OUTPUT_VERBOSE((5, orte_ess_base_framework.framework_output,