diff --git a/.github/workflows/ompi_mpi4py.yaml b/.github/workflows/ompi_mpi4py.yaml
index 45913bf79c4..35b4c9b25c5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ompi_mpi4py.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ompi_mpi4py.yaml
@@ -92,20 +92,24 @@ jobs:
       if:   ${{ true }}
     - name: Test mpi4py (np=1)
       run:  mpiexec -n 1 python test/main.py -v
-    - name: Test mpi4py (np=2)
-      run:  mpiexec -n 2 python test/main.py -v -f
-    - name: Test mpi4py (np=3)
-      run:  mpiexec -n 3 python test/main.py -v -f
-      if:   ${{ true }}
-      timeout-minutes: 20
-    - name: Test mpi4py (np=4)
-      run:  mpiexec -n 4 python test/main.py -v -f
-      if:   ${{ true }}
-      timeout-minutes: 20
-    - name: Test mpi4py (np=5)
-      run:  mpiexec -n 5 python test/main.py -v -f
-      if:   ${{ true }}
-      timeout-minutes: 20
+#
+#   unfortunately these multi-rank tests aren't reliable enough to
+#   run in github actions right now.  
+#
+#   - name: Test mpi4py (np=2)
+#     run:  mpiexec -n 2 python test/main.py -v -f
+#   - name: Test mpi4py (np=3)
+#     run:  mpiexec -n 3 python test/main.py -v -f
+#     if:   ${{ true }}
+#     timeout-minutes: 20
+#   - name: Test mpi4py (np=4)
+#     run:  mpiexec -n 4 python test/main.py -v -f
+#     if:   ${{ true }}
+#     timeout-minutes: 20
+#   - name: Test mpi4py (np=5)
+#     run:  mpiexec -n 5 python test/main.py -v -f
+#     if:   ${{ true }}
+#     timeout-minutes: 20
     - name: Test mpi4py.run
       run:  python demo/test-run/test_run.py -v
       if:   ${{ true }}