diff --git a/example/example.zip b/example/example.zip
index cebaa23..86de20e 100644
Binary files a/example/example.zip and b/example/example.zip differ
diff --git a/example/example_dir/example.py b/example/example_dir/example.py
index 9791994..3ccb572 100644
--- a/example/example_dir/example.py
+++ b/example/example_dir/example.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 from netpyne import specs
 from netpyne import sim
 from netpyne import __version__ as version
+from pyneuroml import pynml
 
 import sys
 import pkg_resources
@@ -21,14 +22,19 @@
         print(f"Python version is: {sys.version}", file=f)
         print("Installed packages on NSG:", file=f)
         dists = [str(d).replace(" ", "==") for d in pkg_resources.working_set]
-        for i in dists:
-            print(i, file=f)
 
+    # also check if netpyne/pyneuroml etc. cause importing matplotlib: we can't
+    # use matplotlib on NSG because the different mpi processes cause the same
+    # cache file to be read, which causes crashes
+    print("Checking if matplotlib loaded...")
+    print(f"Args are: {sys.argv}")
+    if sys.argv.count("-nogui") > 0:
+        print("nogui option found")
+
+    for i in dists:
+        print(i, file=f)
     for k in sys.modules.keys():
         if "matplotlib" in k:
             print(f"matplotlib still loaded: {k}")
 
-    print(f"Args are: {sys.argv}")
-    if sys.argv.count("-nogui") > 0:
-        print("nogui found")
     print("Done!")
diff --git a/example/testParam.properties b/example/testParam.properties
index 5397125..edaff50 100644
--- a/example/testParam.properties
+++ b/example/testParam.properties
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 toolId=OSBv2_EXPANSE_0_7_3
 number_cores_=2
-number_nodes_=1
+number_nodes_=2
 tasks_per_node_=2
 runtime_=0.5
 nrnivmodl_o_=0