diff --git a/example/example.zip b/example/example.zip
index e39fd0e..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 57c2c22..3ccb572 100644
--- a/example/example_dir/example.py
+++ b/example/example_dir/example.py
@@ -7,16 +7,34 @@
 """
 
 
+from netpyne import specs
+from netpyne import sim
+from netpyne import __version__ as version
+from pyneuroml import pynml
+
 import sys
 import pkg_resources
 
-print("Running example script to list Python packages...")
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    print("Running example script to list Python packages...")
+
+    with open("output.txt", "w") as f:
+        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]
+
+    # 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")
 
-with open("output.txt", "w") as f:
-    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)
+    for k in sys.modules.keys():
+        if "matplotlib" in k:
+            print(f"matplotlib still loaded: {k}")
 
-print("Done!")
\ No newline at end of file
+    print("Done!")
diff --git a/example/testParam.properties b/example/testParam.properties
index 885f985..edaff50 100644
--- a/example/testParam.properties
+++ b/example/testParam.properties
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 toolId=OSBv2_EXPANSE_0_7_3
-number_cores_=1
-number_nodes_=1
-tasks_per_node_=1
+number_cores_=2
+number_nodes_=2
+tasks_per_node_=2
 runtime_=0.5
 nrnivmodl_o_=0
 filename_=example.py
+cmdlineopts_=-nogui