diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
index b344a27d589..44d6ee4a09f 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
@@ -28,9 +28,6 @@ steps:
     command:
       - "echo $$JULIA_DEPOT_PATH"
 
-      - echo "--- Configure MPI"
-      - julia -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.add("MPIPreferences"); using MPIPreferences; use_system_binary()'
-
       - echo "--- Instantiate project"
       - "julia --project -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.instantiate(;verbose=true)'"
       - "julia --project -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.precompile()'"
@@ -76,6 +73,16 @@ steps:
         agents:
           slurm_ntasks: 2
           slurm_mem: 16G
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
+
+      - label: "ClimaAtmos"
+        command: "julia --color=yes --project=examples -e 'import ClimaAtmos; ClimaAtmos.AtmosConfig()'"
+        agents:
+          slurm_ntasks: 2
+          slurm_mem: 16G
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
 
   # - group: "Regression tests"
   #   steps: