diff --git a/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 13c2a5a3..30667ddc 100644
--- a/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ set(SCRIPTS
   run_test.sh
   mpi_test.sh
   run_multiple_test.sh
+  run_multiple_mpi_test.sh
   run_checkpoint_restart_test.sh
   )
 
@@ -487,6 +488,7 @@ if(BUILD_MPI_TESTING)
     add_test(NAME obj_info_mpi   WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY} COMMAND mpi_test.sh ./obj_info ${MPI_RUN_CMD} 4 6 )
     add_test(NAME obj_put_data_mpi   WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY} COMMAND mpi_test.sh ./obj_put_data ${MPI_RUN_CMD} 4 6 )
     add_test(NAME obj_get_data_mpi   WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY} COMMAND mpi_test.sh ./obj_get_data ${MPI_RUN_CMD} 4 6 )
+    add_test(NAME vpicio_bdcats_mpi WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY} COMMAND run_multiple_mpi_test.sh ${MPI_RUN_CMD} 4 6 ./vpicio ./bdcats)
 
     set_tests_properties(read_obj_shared_int                  PROPERTIES LABELS "parallel;parallel_obj" )
     set_tests_properties(read_obj_shared_float                PROPERTIES LABELS "parallel;parallel_obj" )
@@ -514,6 +516,7 @@ if(BUILD_MPI_TESTING)
 #   set_tests_properties(region_transfer_2D_skewed_mpi        PROPERTIES LABELS "parallel;parallel_region_transfer" )
 #   set_tests_properties(region_transfer_3D_skewed_mpi        PROPERTIES LABELS "parallel;parallel_region_transfer" )
     set_tests_properties(region_transfer_write_read_mpi       PROPERTIES LABELS "parallel;parallel_region_transfer" )
+    set_tests_properties(vpicio_bdcats_mpi                    PROPERTIES LABELS "parallel;parallel_region_transfer" )
     set_tests_properties(region_transfer_all_mpi              PROPERTIES LABELS "parallel;parallel_region_transfer_all" )
     set_tests_properties(region_transfer_all_2D_mpi           PROPERTIES LABELS "parallel;parallel_region_transfer_all" )
     set_tests_properties(region_transfer_all_3D_mpi           PROPERTIES LABELS "parallel;parallel_region_transfer_all" )
diff --git a/src/tests/run_multiple_mpi_test.sh b/src/tests/run_multiple_mpi_test.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..957473fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/run_multiple_mpi_test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# This version of the test runner doesn't attempt to run any parallel tests.
+# We assume too, that if the library build has enabled MPI, that LD_LIBRARY_PATH is
+# defined and points to the MPI libraries used by the linker (e.g. -L<path -lmpi)
+
+extra_cmd=""
+
+if [[ "$SUPERCOMPUTER" == "perlmutter" ]]; then
+    extra_cmd="--mem=25600 --cpu_bind=cores --overlap"
+fi
+
+if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then echo "missing test argument" && exit -1 ; fi
+# check the test to be run:
+mpi_cmd="$1"
+n_servers="$2"
+n_client="$3"
+# copy the remaining test input arguments (if any)
+all_test="${@:4}"
+test_args=""
+echo $all_test
+
+rm -rf pdc_tmp pdc_data
+
+# START the server (in the background)
+echo "$mpi_cmd -n $n_servers $extra_cmd ./pdc_server.exe &"
+$mpi_cmd -n $n_servers $extra_cmd ./pdc_server.exe &
+
+# WAIT a bit, for 1 second
+sleep 1
+
+# RUN the actual test(s)
+for test_exe in $all_test
+do
+    if [ -x $test_exe ]; then echo "testing: $test_exe"; else echo "test: $test_exe not found or not and executable" && exit -2; fi
+    if [[ "$test_exe" = *vpicio ]]; then
+        test_args="1024"
+    fi
+    if [[ "$test_exe" = *bdcats ]]; then
+        test_args="1024"
+    fi
+    echo "$mpi_cmd -n $n_client $extra_cmd $test_exe $test_args"
+    $mpi_cmd -n $n_client $extra_cmd $test_exe $test_args
+    ret="$?"
+done
+
+# Need to test the return value
+ret="$?"
+# and shutdown the SERVER before exiting
+echo "Close server"
+echo "$mpi_cmd -n 1 $extra_cmd ./close_server"
+$mpi_cmd -n 1 $extra_cmd ./close_server
+exit $ret