diff --git a/smartsim/_core/_cli/validate.py b/smartsim/_core/_cli/validate.py
index bda254859..5794e768f 100644
--- a/smartsim/_core/_cli/validate.py
+++ b/smartsim/_core/_cli/validate.py
@@ -25,13 +25,14 @@
 # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 import argparse
+import contextlib
 import io
 import multiprocessing as mp
 import os
+import os.path
 import socket
 import tempfile
 import typing as t
-from contextlib import contextmanager
 from types import TracebackType
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -52,8 +53,6 @@
 
 
 if t.TYPE_CHECKING:
-    # Pylint disables needed for old version of pylint w/ TF 2.6.2
-    # pylint: disable-next=unused-import
     from multiprocessing.connection import Connection
 
     # pylint: disable-next=unsubscriptable-object
@@ -89,12 +88,23 @@ def execute(
     simple experiment
     """
     backends = installed_redisai_backends()
+    device: _TCapitalDeviceStr = args.device.upper()
     try:
-        with _VerificationTempDir(dir=os.getcwd()) as temp_dir:
+        with contextlib.ExitStack() as ctx:
+            temp_dir = ctx.enter_context(_VerificationTempDir(dir=os.getcwd()))
+            validate_env = {
+                "SR_LOG_LEVEL": os.environ.get("SR_LOG_LEVEL", "INFO"),
+                "SR_LOG_FILE": os.environ.get(
+                    "SR_LOG_FILE", os.path.join(temp_dir, "smartredis.log")
+                ),
+            }
+            if device == "GPU":
+                validate_env["CUDA_VISIBLE_DEVICES"] = "0"
+            ctx.enter_context(_env_vars_set_to(validate_env))
             test_install(
                 location=temp_dir,
                 port=args.port,
-                device=args.device.upper(),
+                device=device,
                 with_tf="tensorflow" in backends,
                 with_pt="torch" in backends,
                 with_onnx="onnxruntime" in backends,
@@ -147,18 +157,40 @@ def test_install(
         logger.info("Verifying Tensor Transfer")
         client.put_tensor("plain-tensor", np.ones((1, 1, 3, 3)))
         client.get_tensor("plain-tensor")
-        if with_tf:
-            logger.info("Verifying TensorFlow Backend")
-            _test_tf_install(client, location, device)
         if with_pt:
             logger.info("Verifying Torch Backend")
             _test_torch_install(client, device)
         if with_onnx:
             logger.info("Verifying ONNX Backend")
             _test_onnx_install(client, device)
+        if with_tf:  # Run last in case TF locks an entire GPU
+            logger.info("Verifying TensorFlow Backend")
+            _test_tf_install(client, location, device)
+        logger.info("Success!")
 
 
-@contextmanager
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def _env_vars_set_to(
+    evars: t.Mapping[str, t.Optional[str]]
+) -> t.Generator[None, None, None]:
+    envvars = tuple((var, os.environ.pop(var, None), val) for var, val in evars.items())
+    for var, _, tmpval in envvars:
+        _set_or_del_env_var(var, tmpval)
+    try:
+        yield
+    finally:
+        for var, origval, _ in reversed(envvars):
+            _set_or_del_env_var(var, origval)
+
+
+def _set_or_del_env_var(var: str, val: t.Optional[str]) -> None:
+    if val is not None:
+        os.environ[var] = val
+    else:
+        os.environ.pop(var, None)
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
 def _make_managed_local_orc(
     exp: Experiment, port: int
 ) -> t.Generator[Client, None, None]:
@@ -243,9 +275,18 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
         def forward(self, x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
             return self.conv(x)
 
+    if device == "GPU":
+        device_ = torch.device("cuda")
+    else:
+        device_ = torch.device("cpu")
+
     net = Net()
-    forward_input = torch.rand(1, 1, 3, 3)
+    net.to(device_)
+    net.eval()
+
+    forward_input = torch.rand(1, 1, 3, 3).to(device_)
     traced = torch.jit.trace(net, forward_input)  # type: ignore[no-untyped-call]
+
     buffer = io.BytesIO()
     torch.jit.save(traced, buffer)  # type: ignore[no-untyped-call]
     model = buffer.getvalue()
@@ -261,7 +302,7 @@ def _test_onnx_install(client: Client, device: _TCapitalDeviceStr) -> None:
     from sklearn.cluster import KMeans
 
     data = np.arange(20, dtype=np.float32).reshape(10, 2)
-    model = KMeans(n_clusters=2)
+    model = KMeans(n_clusters=2, n_init=10)
     model.fit(data)
 
     kmeans = to_onnx(model, data, target_opset=11)
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 899caa1e0..b0c0a15b3 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -828,3 +828,33 @@ def test_cli_validation_test_execute(
 
     assert expected_stdout in caplog.text
     assert actual_retval == expected_retval
+
+
+def test_validate_correctly_sets_and_restores_env(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FOO", "BAR")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SPAM", "EGGS")
+    monkeypatch.delenv("TICK", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("DNE", raising=False)
+
+    assert os.environ["FOO"] == "BAR"
+    assert os.environ["SPAM"] == "EGGS"
+    assert "TICK" not in os.environ
+    assert "DNE" not in os.environ
+
+    with smartsim._core._cli.validate._env_vars_set_to(
+        {
+            "FOO": "BAZ",  # Redefine
+            "SPAM": None,  # Delete
+            "TICK": "TOCK",  # Add
+            "DNE": None,  # Delete already missing
+        }
+    ):
+        assert os.environ["FOO"] == "BAZ"
+        assert "SPAM" not in os.environ
+        assert os.environ["TICK"] == "TOCK"
+        assert "DNE" not in os.environ
+
+    assert os.environ["FOO"] == "BAR"
+    assert os.environ["SPAM"] == "EGGS"
+    assert "TICK" not in os.environ
+    assert "DNE" not in os.environ