diff --git a/.github/workflows/unix_unit_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/unix_unit_tests.yml
index 90b79c386..7648f8000 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/unix_unit_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unix_unit_tests.yml
@@ -58,14 +58,14 @@
           shell: bash -el {0}
           run: |
             flake8 --count hnn_core
-        - name: Test embarrassingly parallel tests with pytest
+        - name: Test non-MPI, embarrassingly parallel tests with pytest
           shell: bash -el {0}
           run: |
-            python -m pytest ./hnn_core/tests/ -m "not already_parallel" -n auto --cov=hnn_core --cov-report=xml
-        - name: Test true parallel tests with pytest
+            python -m pytest ./hnn_core/tests/ -m "not uses_mpi" -n auto --cov=hnn_core --cov-report=xml
+        - name: Test MPI-using parallel tests with pytest
           shell: bash -el {0}
           run: |
-            python -m pytest ./hnn_core/tests/ -m "already_parallel" --cov=hnn_core --cov-report=xml --cov-append
+            python -m pytest ./hnn_core/tests/ -m "uses_mpi" --cov=hnn_core --cov-report=xml --cov-append
         - name:  Upload coverage to Codecov
           shell: bash -el {0}
           run: |
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9970666ed..67e1d3a99 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ check-manifest:
 	check-manifest
 
 test: flake
-	pytest .
+	pytest ./hnn_core/tests/ -m "not uses_mpi" -n auto
+	pytest ./hnn_core/tests/ -m "uses_mpi"
 
 flake:
 	@if command -v flake8 > /dev/null; then \
diff --git a/hnn_core/tests/test_dipole.py b/hnn_core/tests/test_dipole.py
index cb141a5dd..3e9c033be 100644
--- a/hnn_core/tests/test_dipole.py
+++ b/hnn_core/tests/test_dipole.py
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ def test_dipole_simulation():
 
 @requires_mpi4py
 @requires_psutil
-@pytest.mark.already_parallel
+@pytest.mark.uses_mpi
 def test_cell_response_backends(run_hnn_core_fixture):
     """Test cell_response outputs across backends."""
 
diff --git a/hnn_core/tests/test_extracellular.py b/hnn_core/tests/test_extracellular.py
index 1b729bd6b..1e2b525ef 100644
--- a/hnn_core/tests/test_extracellular.py
+++ b/hnn_core/tests/test_extracellular.py
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ def test_transfer_resistance():
 
 @requires_mpi4py
 @requires_psutil
-@pytest.mark.already_parallel
+@pytest.mark.uses_mpi
 def test_extracellular_backends(run_hnn_core_fixture):
     """Test extracellular outputs across backends."""
     # calculation of CSD requires >=4 electrode contacts
diff --git a/hnn_core/tests/test_gui.py b/hnn_core/tests/test_gui.py
index c56212434..b54225b3f 100644
--- a/hnn_core/tests/test_gui.py
+++ b/hnn_core/tests/test_gui.py
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ def test_gui_init_network(setup_gui):
 
 @requires_mpi4py
 @requires_psutil
-@pytest.mark.already_parallel
+@pytest.mark.uses_mpi
 def test_gui_run_simulation_mpi():
     """Test if run button triggers simulation with MPIBackend."""
     gui = HNNGUI()
diff --git a/hnn_core/tests/test_parallel_backends.py b/hnn_core/tests/test_parallel_backends.py
index 533b46b47..a8dec20a7 100644
--- a/hnn_core/tests/test_parallel_backends.py
+++ b/hnn_core/tests/test_parallel_backends.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def test_gid_assignment():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.incremental
-@pytest.mark.already_parallel
+@pytest.mark.uses_mpi
 class TestParallelBackends():
     dpls_reduced_mpi = None
     dpls_reduced_default = None
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ def test_compare_hnn_core(self, run_hnn_core_fixture, backend, n_jobs=1):
 # class marked incremental
 @requires_mpi4py
 @requires_psutil
-@pytest.mark.already_parallel
+@pytest.mark.uses_mpi
 def test_mpi_failure(run_hnn_core_fixture):
     """Test that an MPI failure is handled and messages are printed"""
     # this MPI parameter will cause a MPI job to fail