diff --git a/.github/workflows/run_unit_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/run_unit_tests.yml
index 0f2a0522..6c224624 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run_unit_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run_unit_tests.yml
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ jobs:
           options: "--check --verbose"
 
       - name: Run unit tests
-        run: PYTHONPATH=test python -m pytest test/
+        run: PYTHONPATH=test pytest -n auto test/
         env:
           COVERAGE_FILE: ".coverage.${{ matrix.python_version }}"
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 5cf9e031..e49f4dac 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ dev = [
     "pytest==7.4.2",
     "pytest-cov==4.1.0",
     "pytest-helpers-namespace==2021.12.29",
+    "pytest-xdist==3.3.1"
     ]
 
 [tool.setuptools.packages.find]
diff --git a/test/conftest.py b/test/conftest.py
index 974cce1c..d7a11f70 100644
--- a/test/conftest.py
+++ b/test/conftest.py
@@ -402,4 +402,5 @@ def pytest_sessionstart(session):
 
 
 def pytest_sessionfinish(session, exitstatus):
-    shutil.rmtree(TEST_WORKING_DIRECTORY)
+    if os.path.exists(TEST_WORKING_DIRECTORY):
+        shutil.rmtree(TEST_WORKING_DIRECTORY)