diff --git a/rsopt/__main__.py b/rsopt/__main__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d0ac04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rsopt/__main__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+from mpi4py import MPI
+MPI.Init()
diff --git a/rsopt/mpi.py b/rsopt/mpi.py
index 456b612..f761ac4 100644
--- a/rsopt/mpi.py
+++ b/rsopt/mpi.py
@@ -1,18 +1,62 @@
+import os
+import subprocess
+from inspect import currentframe, getframeinfo
+import rsopt
+
+__active_env = None
 
 def get_mpi_environment():
+    """Checks MPI environment and whether or not MPI is initialized
+
+    Params:
+        None
+
+    Returns:
+        None if mpi is unavailable; else a dict representing the active MPI environment"""
+    global __active_env
+
+    # Test for mpi4py install
     try:
+        import mpi4py
+        mpi4py.rc.initialize = False
         from mpi4py import MPI
     except ModuleNotFoundError:
         # mpi4py not installed so it can't be used
-        return
+        __active_env = "no_mpi"
+
+    if __active_env == "no_mpi":
+        return None
+
+    # If we already ran this process and have an environment, return the active environment
+    if __active_env:
+        return __active_env
+    
+    frameinfo = getframeinfo(currentframe())
+    print(f"Initializing MPI from {frameinfo.filename}:L{frameinfo.lineno}", flush=True)
+
+    #import faulthandler
+    #import sys
+    #faulthandler.enable(file=sys.stderr, all_threads=True)
+
+    # Test MPI intialization in another thread
+    fname = os.path.dirname(rsopt.__file__) + "/__main__.py"
+    pp = subprocess.run(["python", fname])
+    
+    if pp.returncode != 0:
+        __active_env = "no_mpi"
+        return None
 
     if not MPI.COMM_WORLD.Get_size() - 1:
         # MPI not being used
         # (if user did start MPI with size 1 this would be an illegal configuration since: main + 1 worker = 2 ranks)
-        return
+        __active_env = "no_mpi"
+        return None
 
     nworkers = MPI.COMM_WORLD.Get_size() - 1
     is_manager = MPI.COMM_WORLD.Get_rank() == 0
     mpi_environment = {'mpi_comm': MPI.COMM_WORLD, 'comms': 'mpi', 'nworkers': nworkers, 'is_manager': is_manager}
 
-    return mpi_environment
\ No newline at end of file
+    # Save global environment
+    __active_env = mpi_environment
+
+    return mpi_environment
diff --git a/rsopt/util.py b/rsopt/util.py
index 0672e65..9857fb9 100644
--- a/rsopt/util.py
+++ b/rsopt/util.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 import pickle
 from libensemble.tools import save_libE_output
+from .mpi import get_mpi_environment
 
 SLURM_PREFIX = 'nid'
 
@@ -54,12 +55,11 @@ def return_nodelist(nodelist_string):
 
 def return_used_nodes():
     """Returns all used processor names to rank 0 or an empty list if MPI not used. For ranks != 0  returns None."""
-    try:
-        from mpi4py import MPI
-    except ModuleNotFoundError:
-        # If MPI not being used to start rsopt then no nodes will have srun executed yet
+    if not get_mpi_environment():
         return []
 
+    from mpi4py import MPI
+    
     rank = MPI.COMM_WORLD.Get_rank()
     name = MPI.Get_processor_name()
     all_names = MPI.COMM_WORLD.gather(name, root=0)
@@ -92,12 +92,11 @@ def return_unused_node():
 
 def broadcast(data, root_rank=0):
     """broadcast, or don't bother"""
-    try:
-        from mpi4py import MPI
-    except ModuleNotFoundError:
-        # If MPI not available for import then assume it isn't needed
+    if not get_mpi_environment():
         return data
 
+    from mpi4py import MPI
+
     if MPI.COMM_WORLD.Get_size() == 1:
         return data
 
@@ -121,4 +120,4 @@ def _libe_save(H, persis_info, mess, filename):
     np.save(filename, H)
 
     with open(filename + ".pickle", "wb") as f:
-        pickle.dump(persis_info, f)
\ No newline at end of file
+        pickle.dump(persis_info, f)