diff --git a/opal/mca/pmix/ext1x/pmix1x_component.c b/opal/mca/pmix/ext1x/pmix1x_component.c
index 87932116705..fec3d89874c 100644
--- a/opal/mca/pmix/ext1x/pmix1x_component.c
+++ b/opal/mca/pmix/ext1x/pmix1x_component.c
@@ -128,8 +128,7 @@ 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 {
diff --git a/opal/mca/pmix/ext2x/ext2x_component.c b/opal/mca/pmix/ext2x/ext2x_component.c
index cf60a7ee8f3..386e67a6751 100644
--- a/opal/mca/pmix/ext2x/ext2x_component.c
+++ b/opal/mca/pmix/ext2x/ext2x_component.c
@@ -144,9 +144,7 @@ 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 != (t = getenv("PMIX_SERVER_URI2")) ||
-        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 {
diff --git a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix3x/pmix3x_component.c b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix3x/pmix3x_component.c
index 7770ff8243f..a086e7e9c12 100644
--- a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix3x/pmix3x_component.c
+++ b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix3x/pmix3x_component.c
@@ -144,8 +144,7 @@ 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 {