diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index b74e67f1..6f7bf591 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -13,11 +13,48 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
 
+  flopy_setup:
+    name: standard installation
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+
+    if: github.repository_owner == 'modflowpy'
+    steps:
+
+    # check out repo
+    - name: Checkout flopy repo
+      uses: actions/checkout@v2.3.4
+
+    - name: Setup Python 3.8
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v2
+      with:
+        python-version: 3.8
+
+    - name: Upgrade pip
+      run: |
+        python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+
+    - name: Base flopy installation
+      run: |
+        pip install .
+
+    - name: Print flopy version
+      run: |
+        python -c "import flopy; print(flopy.__version__)"
+
+
   flopy_lint:
     name: linting
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
 
     if: github.repository_owner == 'modflowpy'
     steps:
@@ -34,18 +71,15 @@ jobs:
         python-version: 3.8
 
     - name: Print python version
-      shell: bash
       run: |
         python --version
 
     - name: Install Python 3.8 packages
-      shell: bash
       run: |
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip
         pip install -r etc/requirements.pip.txt
 
     - name: Run black
-      shell: bash
       run: |
         echo "if black check fails run"
         echo "  black --line-length 79 ./flopy"
@@ -53,18 +87,16 @@ jobs:
         black --check --line-length 79 ./flopy
 
     - name: Run flake8
-      shell: bash
       run: |
         flake8 --count --show-source --exit-zero ./flopy
 
     - name: Run pylint
-      shell: bash
       run: |
         pylint --jobs=2 --errors-only --exit-zero ./flopy
 
   flopyCI:
     name: autotests
-    needs: flopy_lint
+    needs: [flopy_setup, flopy_lint]
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
@@ -82,9 +114,9 @@ jobs:
             python-version: 3.8
             run-type: script
             test-path: autotest_scripts.py
-#        exclude:
-#          - os: macos-latest
-#            python-version: 3.6
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
 
     steps:
     # check out repo
@@ -146,7 +178,6 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Setup symbolic link to gfortran on macOS
       if: runner.os == 'macOS'
-      shell: bash
       run: |
         sudo ln -fs /usr/local/bin/gfortran-10 /usr/local/bin/gfortran
         sudo ln -fs /usr/local/bin/gcc-10 /usr/local/bin/gcc
@@ -166,7 +197,6 @@ jobs:
         cd ..
 
     - name: Add executables directory to path
-      shell: bash
       run: |
         echo "$HOME/.local/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH