diff --git a/python/__init__.py b/python/__init__.py
index ed61a320..91d48fd6 100644
--- a/python/__init__.py
+++ b/python/__init__.py
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ import os
 import sys
 
 from . import config
-_netgen_bin_dir=os.path.realpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),'..',config.NETGEN_PYTHON_RPATH_BIN))
-_netgen_lib_dir=os.path.realpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),'..',config.NETGEN_PYTHON_RPATH))
+_netgen_bin_dir=os.path.realpath(os.path.join(config.NG_INSTALL_DIR_PYTHON,config.NETGEN_PYTHON_RPATH_BIN))
+_netgen_lib_dir=os.path.realpath(os.path.join(config.NG_INSTALL_DIR_PYTHON,config.NETGEN_PYTHON_RPATH))
 
 if sys.platform.startswith('win'):
     if sys.version >= '3.8':
diff --git a/tests/pytest/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/pytest/CMakeLists.txt
index 26c7d22f..4f7e1c5b 100644
--- a/tests/pytest/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/pytest/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,8 +1,28 @@
 if(USE_PYTHON)
-    add_test(NAME pytest COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
-    add_custom_target(pytest ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
-    set_tests_properties ( pytest PROPERTIES TIMEOUT 1800 )
-    if(USE_MPI AND USE_MPI4PY)
-      add_test(NAME pytest-mpi COMMAND ${MPIEXEC_EXECUTABLE} --allow-run-as-root -np 4 ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest --with-mpi test_mpi4py.py WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
-    endif(USE_MPI AND USE_MPI4PY)
+   if(ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS)
+     set(PYTHON_UNIT_TESTS TRUE)
+     # check for prerequisite modules
+     execute_process(COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -c "import pytest; print(pytest.__file__)"
+       OUTPUT_VARIABLE pytest_path RESULT_VARIABLE pytest_result)
+     if(NOT ${pytest_result} EQUAL 0)
+       message(WARNING "python module 'pytest' not found.")
+       set(PYTHON_UNIT_TESTS FALSE)
+     endif()
+     execute_process(COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -c "import pytest_check; print(pytest_check.__file__)"
+       OUTPUT_VARIABLE pycheck_path RESULT_VARIABLE pycheck_result)
+     if(NOT ${pytest_result} EQUAL 0)
+       message(WARNING "python module 'pytest_check' not found.")
+       set(PYTHON_UNIT_TESTS FALSE)
+     endif()
+     if(PYTHON_UNIT_TESTS)
+       add_test(NAME pytest COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+       add_custom_target(pytest ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+       set_tests_properties ( pytest PROPERTIES TIMEOUT 18000 )
+       if(USE_MPI AND USE_MPI4PY)
+	 add_test(NAME pytest-mpi COMMAND ${MPIEXEC_EXECUTABLE} --allow-run-as-root -np 4 ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest --with-mpi test_mpi4py.py WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+       endif(USE_MPI AND USE_MPI4PY)
+     else()
+       message(WARNING "Unable to perform unit tests on netgen python modules.")
+     endif()
+   endif()
 endif(USE_PYTHON)