diff --git a/test/conftest.py b/test/conftest.py
index 0764c5d..c5c9aa0 100644
--- a/test/conftest.py
+++ b/test/conftest.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from multiprocessing import Pipe, Process
+import multiprocessing as mp
 
 import pytest
 import torch
@@ -21,15 +21,10 @@ def init(world_size, timeout=5 * 60, daemon=True):
 
         return init
 
-    def __init__(self, world_size: int, timeout: int = 5 * 60, daemon: bool = True, file: str = None):
-        self.world_size = world_size
-        self.timeout = timeout
-        self.daemon = daemon
-        self.file = str(file)
-
-    def _run(self, rank, conn, func, *args, **kwargs):
-        store = torch.distributed.FileStore(self.file, self.world_size)
-        torch.distributed.init_process_group(backend='gloo', world_size=self.world_size, rank=rank, store=store)
+    @staticmethod  # important to be staticmethod, otherwise pickle will fail
+    def _run(rank, world_size, file, conn, func, *args, **kwargs):
+        store = torch.distributed.FileStore(file, world_size)
+        torch.distributed.init_process_group(backend='gloo', world_size=world_size, rank=rank, store=store)
 
         torch.distributed.barrier()
         ret = func(*args, **kwargs)  # TODO: need to handle exceptions
@@ -39,14 +34,24 @@ def _run(self, rank, conn, func, *args, **kwargs):
 
         torch.distributed.destroy_process_group()
 
+    def __init__(self, world_size: int, timeout: int = 5 * 60, daemon: bool = True, file: str = None):
+        self.world_size = world_size
+        self.timeout = timeout
+        self.daemon = daemon
+        self.file = str(file)
+
     def start(self, func, *args, **kwargs):
+        ctx = mp.get_context('spawn')
+
         self.processes = []
         self.conns = []
         for rank in range(self.world_size):
-            recv_conn, send_conn = Pipe()
-            process_args = (rank, send_conn, func) + args
+            recv_conn, send_conn = ctx.Pipe()
+            process_args = (rank, self.world_size, self.file, send_conn, func) + args
             process_kwargs = dict(kwargs)
-            process = Process(target=self._run, args=process_args, kwargs=process_kwargs, daemon=self.daemon)
+            process = ctx.Process(
+                target=DistributedEnvironment._run, args=process_args, kwargs=process_kwargs, daemon=self.daemon
+            )
             self.conns.append(recv_conn)
             self.processes.append(process)
 
diff --git a/test/test_root_only.py b/test/test_root_only.py
index 40bc9fb..7bed4a0 100644
--- a/test/test_root_only.py
+++ b/test/test_root_only.py
@@ -121,15 +121,16 @@ def test_function(self, distributed_environment):
         assert return_root_rank.__name__ == 'return_root_rank'
         assert return_root_rank.__doc__ == 'TEST_DOC_STRING'
 
-    def test_stage(self, distributed_environment):
-        def run():
-            stage = RootOnlyStage(epochs=1)
-            pipe = dml.Pipeline()
-            pipe.append(stage)
-            pipe.run()
-            return stage.cb_executed
+    @staticmethod
+    def _test_stage_run():
+        stage = RootOnlyStage(epochs=1)
+        pipe = dml.Pipeline()
+        pipe.append(stage)
+        pipe.run()
+        return stage.cb_executed
 
-        results = distributed_environment(3).start(run)
+    def test_stage(self, distributed_environment):
+        results = distributed_environment(3).start(TestRootOnly._test_stage_run)
 
         assert [r['pre_stage'] for r in results] == [True, False, False]
         assert [r['post_stage'] for r in results] == [True, False, False]
@@ -155,15 +156,16 @@ def run():
         assert RootOnlyStage.run_epoch.__name__ == 'run_epoch'
         assert RootOnlyStage.run_epoch.__doc__ == 'TEST_DOC_STRING'
 
-    def test_partial_stage(self, distributed_environment):
-        def run():
-            stage = PartialRootOnlyStage(epochs=1)
-            pipe = dml.Pipeline()
-            pipe.append(stage)
-            pipe.run()
-            return stage.cb_executed
+    @staticmethod
+    def _test_partial_stage_run():
+        stage = PartialRootOnlyStage(epochs=1)
+        pipe = dml.Pipeline()
+        pipe.append(stage)
+        pipe.run()
+        return stage.cb_executed
 
-        results = distributed_environment(3).start(run)
+    def test_partial_stage(self, distributed_environment):
+        results = distributed_environment(3).start(TestRootOnly._test_partial_stage_run)
 
         assert [r['pre_stage'] for r in results] == [True, True, True]
         assert [r['post_stage'] for r in results] == [True, False, False]
@@ -177,14 +179,15 @@ def run():
         assert PartialRootOnlyStage.pre_epoch.__name__ == 'pre_epoch'
         assert PartialRootOnlyStage.pre_epoch.__doc__ == 'TEST_DOC_STRING'
 
-    def test_pipeline(self, distributed_environment):
-        def run():
-            pipe = RootOnlyPipeline()
-            pipe.append(RootOnlyStage(epochs=1))
-            pipe.run()
-            return pipe.cb_executed
+    @staticmethod
+    def _test_pipeline_run():
+        pipe = RootOnlyPipeline()
+        pipe.append(RootOnlyStage(epochs=1))
+        pipe.run()
+        return pipe.cb_executed
 
-        results = distributed_environment(3).start(run)
+    def test_pipeline(self, distributed_environment):
+        results = distributed_environment(3).start(TestRootOnly._test_pipeline_run)
 
         assert [r['pre_run'] for r in results] == [True, False, False]
         assert [r['post_run'] for r in results] == [True, False, False]
@@ -198,14 +201,15 @@ def run():
         assert RootOnlyPipeline.post_run.__name__ == 'post_run'
         assert RootOnlyPipeline.post_run.__doc__ == 'TEST_DOC_STRING'
 
-    def test_partial_pipeline(self, distributed_environment):
-        def run():
-            pipe = PartialRootOnlyPipeline()
-            pipe.append(RootOnlyStage(epochs=1))
-            pipe.run()
-            return pipe.cb_executed
+    @staticmethod
+    def _test_partial_pipeline_run():
+        pipe = PartialRootOnlyPipeline()
+        pipe.append(RootOnlyStage(epochs=1))
+        pipe.run()
+        return pipe.cb_executed
 
-        results = distributed_environment(3).start(run)
+    def test_partial_pipeline(self, distributed_environment):
+        results = distributed_environment(3).start(TestRootOnly._test_partial_pipeline_run)
 
         assert [r['pre_run'] for r in results] == [True, False, False]
         assert [r['post_run'] for r in results] == [True, True, True]