diff --git a/config/ompi_setup_cxx.m4 b/config/ompi_setup_cxx.m4
index dc09d09d199..ec601c93972 100644
--- a/config/ompi_setup_cxx.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_setup_cxx.m4
@@ -235,7 +235,8 @@ AC_DEFUN([_OMPI_SETUP_CXX_COMPILER_BACKEND],[
     fi
 
     # Make sure we can link with the C compiler
-    if test "$ompi_cv_cxx_compiler_vendor" != "microsoft"; then
+    if test "$ompi_cv_cxx_compiler_vendor" != "microsoft" &&
+       test "$WANT_MPI_CXX_SUPPORT" -eq 1; then
       OPAL_LANG_LINK_WITH_C([C++], [],
         [cat <<EOF >&2
 **********************************************************************
diff --git a/config/opal_config_pthreads.m4 b/config/opal_config_pthreads.m4
index b2d9c7aaece..9987c9e58e2 100644
--- a/config/opal_config_pthreads.m4
+++ b/config/opal_config_pthreads.m4
@@ -198,7 +198,8 @@ AC_DEFUN([OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_PLAIN_CXX], [
 #
 # C++ compiler
 #
-if test "$opal_pthread_cxx_success" = "0"; then
+if test "$opal_pthread_cxx_success" = "0" && \
+   test "$WANT_MPI_CXX_SUPPORT" -eq; then
   AC_MSG_CHECKING([if C++ compiler and POSIX threads work as is])
 
   AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
@@ -251,9 +252,10 @@ AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_CC],
                   [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_PLAIN_C],
                   [opal_pthread_c_success=1])
 
-AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_CXX],
-                  [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_PLAIN_CXX],
-                  [opal_pthread_cxx_success=1])
+AS_IF([test "$WANT_MPI_CXX_SUPPORT" = 1],
+      [AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_CXX],
+                         [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_PLAIN_CXX],
+                         [opal_pthread_cxx_success=1])])
 
 AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_FC],
                   [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_PLAIN_FC],
@@ -379,9 +381,10 @@ AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_CC],
                   [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_SPECIAL_FLAGS_C],
                   [opal_pthread_c_success=1])
 
-AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_CXX],
-                  [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_SPECIAL_FLAGS_CXX],
-                  [opal_pthread_cxx_success=1])
+AS_IF([test "$WANT_MPI_CXX_SUPPORT" = 1],
+      [AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_CXX],
+                         [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_SPECIAL_FLAGS_CXX],
+                         [opal_pthread_cxx_success=1])])
 
 AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_FC],
                   [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_SPECIAL_FLAGS_FC],
@@ -568,9 +571,10 @@ AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_CC],
                   [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_LIBS_C],
                   [opal_pthread_c_success=1])
 
-AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_CXX],
-                  [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_LIBS_CXX],
-                  [opal_pthread_cxx_success=1])
+AS_IF([test "$WANT_MPI_CXX_SUPPORT" = 1],
+      [AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_CXX],
+                         [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_LIBS_CXX],
+                         [opal_pthread_cxx_success=1])])
 
 AC_PROVIDE_IFELSE([AC_PROG_FC],
                   [OPAL_INTL_POSIX_THREADS_LIBS_FC],
@@ -661,6 +665,10 @@ if test "$OMPI_TRY_FORTRAN_BINDINGS" = "$OMPI_FORTRAN_NO_BINDINGS" || \
   opal_pthread_fortran_success=1
 fi
 
+if test "$WANT_MPI_CXX_SUPPORT" -ne 1; then
+  opal_pthread_cxx_success=1
+fi
+
 if test "$opal_pthread_c_success" = "1" && \
    test "$opal_pthread_cxx_success" = "1" && \
    test "$opal_pthread_fortran_success" = "1"; then
diff --git a/config/opal_setup_cxx.m4 b/config/opal_setup_cxx.m4
index 913e91cdd53..87dcf3826ee 100644
--- a/config/opal_setup_cxx.m4
+++ b/config/opal_setup_cxx.m4
@@ -173,7 +173,8 @@ AC_DEFUN([_OPAL_SETUP_CXX_COMPILER_BACKEND],[
     fi
 
     # Make sure we can link with the C compiler
-    if test "$opal_cv_cxx_compiler_vendor" != "microsoft"; then
+    if test "$opal_cv_cxx_compiler_vendor" != "microsoft" && \
+       test "$WANT_MPI_CXX_SUPPORT" -eq 1; then
       OPAL_LANG_LINK_WITH_C([C++], [],
         [cat <<EOF >&2
 **********************************************************************