diff --git a/frame/thread/bli_thread.c b/frame/thread/bli_thread.c
index b3964856b..dd73d91b4 100644
--- a/frame/thread/bli_thread.c
+++ b/frame/thread/bli_thread.c
@@ -1700,8 +1700,7 @@ void bli_thread_init_rntm_from_env
 	// by bli_init_once().
 
 	bool  auto_factor = FALSE;
-	dim_t active_level, max_levels, nt;
-	dim_t jc, pc, ic, jr, ir;
+	dim_t jc, pc, ic, jr, ir, nt;
 
 #ifdef BLIS_ENABLE_MULTITHREADING
 
@@ -1772,8 +1771,8 @@ void bli_thread_init_rntm_from_env
 		bli_rntm_set_blis_mt_only(FALSE, rntm);
 
 #ifdef BLIS_ENABLE_OPENMP
-		active_level = omp_get_active_level();
-		max_levels = omp_get_max_active_levels();
+		dim_t active_level = omp_get_active_level();
+		dim_t max_levels = omp_get_max_active_levels();
 		if ( active_level < max_levels )
 		{
 		      nt = omp_get_max_threads();
@@ -1847,34 +1846,26 @@ void bli_thread_update_rntm_from_env
        rntm_t* rntm
      )
 {	
+	// Update tl_rntm for this user thread from runtime environment and
+	// current status of global_rntm. Must do this every time, in case
+	// global_rntm has been updated by blis-specific threading function calls.
+
 	// NOTE: We don't need to acquire the global_rntm_mutex here because this
 	// function is updating the thread local tl_rntm (not global_rntm).
 
-	bool  auto_factor = FALSE;
-	dim_t active_level, max_levels, nt;
-	dim_t jc, pc, ic, jr, ir;
-	bool blis_mt;	
-
-	// Set threading related parts of tl_rntm from global_rntm.
-	// Must do this every time, in case global_rntm has been updated by
-	// blis-specific threading function calls.
+	bool auto_factor = FALSE;
+	dim_t jc, pc, ic, jr, ir, nt;
+	bool blis_mt;
 
+	// Extract threading data from global_rntm.
 	nt = bli_rntm_num_threads( &global_rntm );
-
 	jc = bli_rntm_jc_ways( &global_rntm );
 	pc = bli_rntm_pc_ways( &global_rntm );
 	ic = bli_rntm_ic_ways( &global_rntm );
 	jr = bli_rntm_jr_ways( &global_rntm );
 	ir = bli_rntm_ir_ways( &global_rntm );
-
 	blis_mt = bli_rntm_blis_mt( &global_rntm );
 
-	bli_rntm_set_num_threads_only( nt, rntm );
-	bli_rntm_set_ways_only( jc, pc, ic, jr, ir, rntm );
-	bli_rntm_set_blis_mt_only( blis_mt, rntm );
-
-	// Update tl_rntm from runtime environment for this user thread.
-
 #ifdef BLIS_ENABLE_MULTITHREADING
 
 	// Environment variables BLIS_NUM_THREADS and BLIS_*_NT have been read
@@ -1931,48 +1922,59 @@ void bli_thread_update_rntm_from_env
 	//
 	// OMP_NUM_THREADS environment variable is applicable only when OpenMP is enabled.
 
-	// If any BLIS_*_NT environment variable was set, then we ignore the
-	// value of BLIS_NUM_THREADS or OMP_NUM_THREADS and use the
-	// BLIS_*_NT values instead (with unset variables being treated as if
-	// they contained 1).
-	if ( jc != -1 || pc != -1 || ic != -1 || jr != -1 || ir != -1 )
+	if(blis_mt)
 	{
-		if ( jc == -1 ) jc = 1;
-		if ( pc == -1 ) pc = 1;
-		if ( ic == -1 ) ic = 1;
-		if ( jr == -1 ) jr = 1;
-		if ( ir == -1 ) ir = 1;
+		// BLIS threading env vars and/or APIs have been used.
 
-		// Unset the value for nt.
-		nt = -1;
+		// If any BLIS_*_NT environment variable was set, then we ignore the
+		// value of BLIS_NUM_THREADS or OMP_NUM_THREADS and use the
+		// BLIS_*_NT values instead (with unset variables being treated as if
+		// they contained 1).
+		if ( jc != -1 || pc != -1 || ic != -1 || jr != -1 || ir != -1 )
+		{
+			if ( jc == -1 ) jc = 1;
+			if ( pc == -1 ) pc = 1;
+			if ( ic == -1 ) ic = 1;
+			if ( jr == -1 ) jr = 1;
+			if ( ir == -1 ) ir = 1;
+
+			// Unset the value for nt.
+			nt = -1;
+		}
+
+#ifdef BLIS_ENABLE_OPENMP
+		// If call is not from an active OpenMP level, then it will be
+		// serial irrespective of BLIS threading settings.
+		// Reminder that we are setting values here for tl_rntm, thus
+		// BLIS threading settings remain unchanged in global_rntm for
+		// consideration in future calls.
+		dim_t active_level = omp_get_active_level();
+		dim_t max_levels = omp_get_max_active_levels();
+		if ( active_level >= max_levels )
+		{
+			nt = -1;
+			jc = pc = ic = jr = ir = 1;
+		}
+#endif
 
-		// Ensure blis_mt is set to TRUE.
-		// (It should already be from sync with global_rntm above).
-		bli_rntm_set_blis_mt_only(TRUE, rntm);
 	}
         else
         {
-        	// Check if blis_mt is already true, e.g. from prior call to bli_thread_set_num_threads()
-		// or from BLIS_NUM_THREADS being set.
-		if(blis_mt)
-		{
-			nt = bli_rntm_num_threads( rntm );
-		}
-		else
-		{
+
+		// BLIS threading env vars and/or APIs have not been used.
+
 #ifdef BLIS_ENABLE_OPENMP
-			active_level = omp_get_active_level();
-			max_levels = omp_get_max_active_levels();
-			if ( active_level < max_levels )
-			{
-			      nt = omp_get_max_threads();
-			} else {
-			      nt = 1;
-			}
-#else
-			nt = 1;
-#endif
+		dim_t active_level = omp_get_active_level();
+		dim_t max_levels = omp_get_max_active_levels();
+		if ( active_level < max_levels )
+		{
+		      nt = omp_get_max_threads();
+		} else {
+		      nt = 1;
 		}
+#else
+		nt = 1;
+#endif
 	}
 
 	// By this time, one of the following conditions holds:
@@ -1998,6 +2000,7 @@ void bli_thread_update_rntm_from_env
 	bli_rntm_set_auto_factor_only( auto_factor, rntm );
 	bli_rntm_set_num_threads_only( nt, rntm );
 	bli_rntm_set_ways_only( jc, pc, ic, jr, ir, rntm );
+	bli_rntm_set_blis_mt_only( blis_mt, rntm );
 
 #ifdef PRINT_THREADING
 	printf( "bli_thread_update_rntm_from_env(): tl_rntm\n" );