diff --git a/src/axom/lumberjack/MPIUtility.cpp b/src/axom/lumberjack/MPIUtility.cpp
index 6f7063b205..161adaa032 100644
--- a/src/axom/lumberjack/MPIUtility.cpp
+++ b/src/axom/lumberjack/MPIUtility.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
  */
 
 #include "axom/lumberjack/MPIUtility.hpp"
-
 #include <cstring>
 
 namespace axom
diff --git a/src/axom/lumberjack/NonCollectiveRootCommunicator.cpp b/src/axom/lumberjack/NonCollectiveRootCommunicator.cpp
index 37f374e495..f74d9cadef 100644
--- a/src/axom/lumberjack/NonCollectiveRootCommunicator.cpp
+++ b/src/axom/lumberjack/NonCollectiveRootCommunicator.cpp
@@ -96,4 +96,4 @@ bool NonCollectiveRootCommunicator::isOutputNode()
 int NonCollectiveRootCommunicator::mpiTag() const { return m_mpiTag; }
 
 }  // end namespace lumberjack
-}  // end namespace axom
\ No newline at end of file
+}  // end namespace axom
diff --git a/src/axom/lumberjack/tests/lumberjack_NonCollectiveRootCommunicator.hpp b/src/axom/lumberjack/tests/lumberjack_NonCollectiveRootCommunicator.hpp
index 52f4813862..8a08672f8c 100644
--- a/src/axom/lumberjack/tests/lumberjack_NonCollectiveRootCommunicator.hpp
+++ b/src/axom/lumberjack/tests/lumberjack_NonCollectiveRootCommunicator.hpp
@@ -23,8 +23,16 @@ TEST(lumberjack_NonCollectiveRootCommunicator, noncollective_communication)
 
   std::vector<const char*> receivedPackedMessages;
 
-  // send message only from even ranks
-  if((c.rank() % 2) == 0)
+  // send message only from even ranks that are non-zero
+  if((c.rank() % 2) == 0 && c.rank() != 0)
+  {
+    c.push(message.c_str(), receivedPackedMessages);
+  }
+
+  MPI_Barrier(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+
+  // receive messages from rank 0 after barrier
+  if(c.rank() == 0)
   {
     c.push(message.c_str(), receivedPackedMessages);
   }
@@ -51,7 +59,7 @@ TEST(lumberjack_NonCollectiveRootCommunicator, noncollective_communication)
       }
       if(!found)
       {
-        std::cout << "Error: Message not received:" << currMessage << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "Error: Message not received: " << currMessage << std::endl;
       }
       EXPECT_EQ(found, true);
     }
@@ -95,4 +103,4 @@ TEST(lumberjack_NonCollectiveRootCommunicator, multiple_communicators)
   c2.finalize();
 
   MPI_Barrier(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}