Index: orte/mca/oob/tcp/oob_tcp_connection.c
===================================================================
--- orte/mca/oob/tcp/oob_tcp_connection.c	(revision 32771)
+++ orte/mca/oob/tcp/oob_tcp_connection.c	(working copy)
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@
  *  connected socket and verify the expected response. If so, move the
  *  socket to a connected state.
  */
-static void retry(mca_oob_tcp_peer_t* peer, int sd)
+static bool retry(mca_oob_tcp_peer_t* peer, int sd)
 {
     int cmpval;
 
@@ -555,6 +555,27 @@
                         "%s SIMUL CONNECTION WITH %s",
                         ORTE_NAME_PRINT(ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME),
                         ORTE_NAME_PRINT(&peer->name));
+    cmpval = orte_util_compare_name_fields(ORTE_NS_CMP_ALL, &peer->name, ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME);
+    if (OPAL_VALUE1_GREATER == cmpval) {
+        /* The other end will retry the connection */
+        if (peer->send_ev_active) {
+            opal_event_del(&peer->send_event);
+            peer->send_ev_active = false;
+        }
+        if (peer->recv_ev_active) {
+            opal_event_del(&peer->recv_event);
+            peer->recv_ev_active = false;
+        }
+        CLOSE_THE_SOCKET(peer->sd);
+        peer->state = MCA_OOB_TCP_UNCONNECTED;
+        return false;
+    } else {
+        /* The connection will be retried */
+        CLOSE_THE_SOCKET(sd);
+        return true;
+        // ORTE_ACTIVATE_TCP_CONN_STATE(peer, mca_oob_tcp_peer_try_connect);
+    }
+#if 0
     if (peer->recv_ev_active) {
         opal_event_del(&peer->recv_event);
         peer->recv_ev_active = false;
@@ -571,15 +592,7 @@
     if (NULL != peer->active_addr) {
         peer->active_addr->retries = 0;
     }
-    cmpval = orte_util_compare_name_fields(ORTE_NS_CMP_ALL, &peer->name, ORTE_PROC_MY_NAME);
-    if (OPAL_VALUE1_GREATER == cmpval) {
-        /* force the other end to retry the connection */
-        peer->state = MCA_OOB_TCP_UNCONNECTED;
-    } else {
-        /* retry the connection */
-        peer->state = MCA_OOB_TCP_CONNECTING;
-        ORTE_ACTIVATE_TCP_CONN_STATE(peer, mca_oob_tcp_peer_try_connect);
-    }
+#endif
 }
 
 int mca_oob_tcp_peer_recv_connect_ack(mca_oob_tcp_peer_t* pr,
@@ -629,7 +642,8 @@
         if (NULL != peer &&
             (MCA_OOB_TCP_CONNECTED == peer->state ||
              MCA_OOB_TCP_CONNECTING == peer->state ||
-             MCA_OOB_TCP_CONNECT_ACK == peer->state)) {
+             MCA_OOB_TCP_CONNECT_ACK == peer->state ||
+             MCA_OOB_TCP_CLOSED == peer->state)) {
             retry(peer, sd);
         }
         return ORTE_ERR_UNREACH;
@@ -696,8 +710,9 @@
             if (MCA_OOB_TCP_CONNECTED == peer->state ||
                 MCA_OOB_TCP_CONNECTING == peer->state ||
                 MCA_OOB_TCP_CONNECT_ACK == peer->state) {
-                retry(peer, sd);
-                return ORTE_ERR_UNREACH;
+                if (retry(peer, sd)) {
+                    return ORTE_ERR_UNREACH;
+                }
             }
         }
     } else {