diff --git a/ompi/request/request.h b/ompi/request/request.h
index 7285d3e6abf..cb67f44c66b 100644
--- a/ompi/request/request.h
+++ b/ompi/request/request.h
@@ -375,27 +375,25 @@ static inline int ompi_request_free(ompi_request_t** request)
  * Wait a particular request for completion
  */
 
-#if OPAL_ENABLE_MULTI_THREADS
 static inline void ompi_request_wait_completion(ompi_request_t *req)
 {
-    ompi_wait_sync_t sync;
-    WAIT_SYNC_INIT(&sync, 1);
+    if (opal_using_threads ()) {
+        ompi_wait_sync_t sync;
+        WAIT_SYNC_INIT(&sync, 1);
 
-    if(OPAL_ATOMIC_CMPSET_PTR(&req->req_complete, REQUEST_PENDING, &sync)) {
-        SYNC_WAIT(&sync);
-    }
+        if(OPAL_ATOMIC_CMPSET_PTR(&req->req_complete, REQUEST_PENDING, &sync)) {
+            SYNC_WAIT(&sync);
+        }
 
-    assert(REQUEST_COMPLETE(req));
-    WAIT_SYNC_RELEASE(&sync);
-}
-#else
-static inline void ompi_request_wait_completion(ompi_request_t *req)
-{
-    while(!REQUEST_COMPLETE(req)) {
-        opal_progress();
+        assert(REQUEST_COMPLETE(req));
+        WAIT_SYNC_RELEASE(&sync);
+    } else {
+        while(!REQUEST_COMPLETE(req)) {
+            opal_progress();
+        }
     }
 }
-#endif
+
 /**
  *  Signal or mark a request as complete. If with_signal is true this will
  *  wake any thread pending on the request. If with_signal is false, the