diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 9a5238444..dfc7b8411 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ addons:
     - libgsl0-dev
     - libfftw3-dev
     - gfortran
-    - libhdf5-serial-dev
     - liblapack-dev
     - swig
+    - libhdf5-serial-dev
     - libopenmpi-dev
     - mpi-default-bin
     - openmpi-bin
diff --git a/libmeepgeom/Makefile.am b/libmeepgeom/Makefile.am
index b0275653a..5fdb713fb 100644
--- a/libmeepgeom/Makefile.am
+++ b/libmeepgeom/Makefile.am
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ array_slice_ll_LDADD   = libmeepgeom.la $(MEEPLIBS)
 
 TESTS           = cyl-ellipsoid-ll array-slice-ll
 
+#LOG_COMPILER = $(RUNCODE)
+
 noinst_PROGRAMS = bend-flux-ll 
 
 bend_flux_ll_SOURCES = bend-flux-ll.cpp
diff --git a/python/Makefile.am b/python/Makefile.am
index 8ddf43fee..64df6112a 100644
--- a/python/Makefile.am
+++ b/python/Makefile.am
@@ -21,6 +21,13 @@ _meep_la_LIBADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libmeep@MEEP_SUFFIX@.la $(top_builddir)/li
 _meep_la_LDFLAGS = -module -version-info @SHARED_VERSION_INFO@
 _meep_la_CPPFLAGS = $(PYTHON_INCLUDES) $(AM_CPPFLAGS)
 
+# material_dispersion.py test must be excluded from test suite for MPI build
+if WITH_MPI
+  MDPYTEST=
+else
+  MDPYTEST=$(TEST_DIR)/material_dispersion.py
+endif
+
 TEST_DIR = tests
 TESTS =                                 \
     $(TEST_DIR)/3rd_harm_1d.py          \
@@ -29,14 +36,14 @@ TESTS =                                 \
     $(TEST_DIR)/geom.py                 \
     $(TEST_DIR)/holey_wvg_bands.py      \
     $(TEST_DIR)/holey_wvg_cavity.py     \
-    $(TEST_DIR)/material_dispersion.py  \
+    $(MDPYTEST)				\
     $(TEST_DIR)/physical.py             \
     $(TEST_DIR)/ring.py                 \
     $(TEST_DIR)/simulation.py           \
     $(TEST_DIR)/source.py
 
 TEST_EXTENSIONS = .py
-PY_LOG_COMPILER = $(PYTHON)
+PY_LOG_COMPILER = $(RUNCODE) $(PYTHON)
 TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = export PYTHONPATH=$(abs_top_builddir)/python:$$PYTHONPATH;
 
 if WITH_PYTHON