diff --git a/etc/config/settings.csh b/etc/config/settings.csh
index 93f3e506ab..fbb9f04270 100644
--- a/etc/config/settings.csh
+++ b/etc/config/settings.csh
@@ -487,9 +487,31 @@ case QSMPI:
     breaksw
 
 case SGIMPI:
-    setenv FOAM_MPI ${MPI_ROOT##*/}
+    if ( ! $?MPI_ROOT) setenv MPI_ROOT /dummy
+
+    if ( ! -d "$MPI_ROOT" ) then
+        echo "Warning in $WM_PROJECT_DIR/etc/config/settings.csh:"
+        echo "    MPI_ROOT not a valid mpt installation directory."
+        echo "    Please set MPI_ROOT to the mpt installation directory."
+        echo "    (usually done by loading the mpt module)"
+        echo "    MPI_ROOT currently set to '$MPI_ROOT'"
+    endif
+
+    if ( "${MPI_ROOT:h}/" == $MPI_ROOT ) then
+        setenv MPI_ROOT ${MPI_ROOT:h}
+    endif
+
+    setenv FOAM_MPI ${MPI_ROOT:t}
     setenv MPI_ARCH_PATH $MPI_ROOT
 
+
+    if ($?FOAM_VERBOSE && $?prompt) then
+        echo "Using SGI MPT:"
+        echo "    MPI_ROOT : $MPI_ROOT"
+        echo "    FOAM_MPI : $FOAM_MPI"
+    endif
+
+
     _foamAddPath    $MPI_ARCH_PATH/bin
     _foamAddLib     $MPI_ARCH_PATH/lib
     breaksw
diff --git a/etc/config/settings.sh b/etc/config/settings.sh
index 5111ef405a..837dc7c5f9 100644
--- a/etc/config/settings.sh
+++ b/etc/config/settings.sh
@@ -511,9 +511,30 @@ QSMPI)
     ;;
 
 SGIMPI)
+    lastCharID=$(( ${#MPI_ROOT} - 1 ))
+    if [ "${MPI_ROOT:$lastCharID:1}" == '/' ]
+    then
+        MPI_ROOT=${MPI_ROOT:0:$lastCharID}
+    fi
+
     export FOAM_MPI=${MPI_ROOT##*/}
     export MPI_ARCH_PATH=$MPI_ROOT
 
+    if [ -d "$MPI_ROOT" -o -z "$MPI_ARCH_PATH" ]
+    then
+        echo "Warning in $WM_PROJECT_DIR/etc/config/settings.sh:" 1>&2
+        echo "    MPI_ROOT not a valid mpt installation directory or ending in a '/'." 1>&2
+        echo "    Please set MPI_ROOT to the mpt installation directory." 1>&2
+        echo "    MPI_ROOT currently set to '$MPI_ROOT'" 1>&2
+    fi
+
+    if [ "$FOAM_VERBOSE" -a "$PS1" ]
+    then
+        echo "Using SGI MPT:"
+        echo "    MPI_ROOT : $MPI_ROOT"
+        echo "    FOAM_MPI : $FOAM_MPI"
+    fi
+
     _foamAddPath    $MPI_ARCH_PATH/bin
     _foamAddLib     $MPI_ARCH_PATH/lib
     ;;