diff --git a/opal/mca/pmix/ext1x/pmix1x_component.c b/opal/mca/pmix/ext1x/pmix1x_component.c
index 747f95cc613..57e91305fd8 100644
--- a/opal/mca/pmix/ext1x/pmix1x_component.c
+++ b/opal/mca/pmix/ext1x/pmix1x_component.c
@@ -95,8 +95,7 @@ static int external_component_query(mca_base_module_t **module, int *priority)
     char *t, *id;
 
     /* see if a PMIx server is present */
-    if (NULL != (t = getenv("PMIX_SERVER_URI")) ||
-	NULL != (id = getenv("PMIX_ID"))) {
+    if (NULL != (t = getenv("PMIX_NAMESPACE"))) {
 	/* if PMIx is present, then we are a client and need to use it */
 	*priority = 100;
     } else {