diff --git a/examples/hello/bpWriter/helloBPWriter.cpp b/examples/hello/bpWriter/helloBPWriter.cpp
index abc680ffdc..1be2cececb 100644
--- a/examples/hello/bpWriter/helloBPWriter.cpp
+++ b/examples/hello/bpWriter/helloBPWriter.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <vector>
 
+#define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX 1 // workaround for OpenMPI forcing C++ bindings
 #include <mpi.h>
+#undef OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
 
 #include "ADIOS_CPP.h"
 
diff --git a/examples/hello/timeBP/timeBPWriter.cpp b/examples/hello/timeBP/timeBPWriter.cpp
index 280e97e1e7..846151357b 100644
--- a/examples/hello/timeBP/timeBPWriter.cpp
+++ b/examples/hello/timeBP/timeBPWriter.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <vector>
 
+#define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX 1 // workaround for OpenMPI forcing C++ bindings
 #include <mpi.h>
+#undef OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
 
 #include "ADIOS_CPP.h"