diff --git a/doc/USER_GUIDE b/doc/USER_GUIDE
index 2962753..c68aeca 100755
--- a/doc/USER_GUIDE
+++ b/doc/USER_GUIDE
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ GENERAL:
 
   * numTasks             - number of tasks that should participate in the test
                            [0]
-                           NOTE: 0 denotes all tasks
+                           NOTE: -1 denotes all tasks
 
   * interTestDelay       - this is the time in seconds to delay before
                            beginning a write or read in a series of tests [0]
diff --git a/src/ior.c b/src/ior.c
index 7b46298..986f3de 100755
--- a/src/ior.c
+++ b/src/ior.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ static int test_initialize(IOR_test_t * test){
 
 
   if (params->testComm == MPI_COMM_NULL) {
-    /* tasks not in the group do not participate in this test */
+    /* tasks not in the group do not participate in this test, this matches the proceses in test_finalize() that participate */
     MPI_CHECK(MPI_Barrier(params->mpi_comm_world), "barrier error");
     return 0;
   }
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ static void test_finalize(IOR_test_t * test){
   if(backend->finalize){
     backend->finalize(test->params.backend_options);
   }
+  MPI_CHECK(MPI_Barrier(test->params.mpi_comm_world), "barrier error");
   MPI_CHECK(MPI_Comm_free(& testComm), "MPI_Comm_free() error");
 }