diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index ed31e04c2..b2e5e2bc7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -54,10 +54,6 @@ jobs:
         set -ex
         which python
 
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-    - name: Setup tmate session
-      uses: mxschmitt/action-tmate@v3
-
     - name: apt-get stuff needed for libstell and vmec
       run: |
         sudo apt-get update
@@ -169,6 +165,11 @@ jobs:
       run: env CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug pip install -v .[MPI,SPEC]
       # run: pip install -v ".[MPI,SPEC,VIS]"
 
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - name: Setup tmate session
+      uses: mxschmitt/action-tmate@v3
+
+
     - name: Verify that importing simsopt does not automatically initialize MPI
       run: ./tests/verify_MPI_not_initialized.py