diff --git a/.github/workflows/py-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/py-tests.yaml
index 806ef288..446590bc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/py-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/py-tests.yaml
@@ -1,36 +1,60 @@
-# name: py-tests 
-
-# on:
-#   push:
-#       branches: [fastsim-2, fastsim-3]
-#   pull_request:
-#   workflow_dispatch:
-#   workflow_call:
-
-# jobs:
-#   test:
-#     # might not be needed
-#     # if: github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim'
-
-#     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-#     strategy:
-#       fail-fast: true
-#       matrix:
-#         python-version: ['3.8', '3.9', '3.10']
-
-#       # if: contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'python/') || contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'rust/')
-#     env:
-#       PYTHON: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-#     steps:
-#     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-
-#     - name: set up python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-#       uses: actions/setup-python@v4
-#       with:
-#         python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-
-#     - name: Python unit tests 
-#       run: |
-#         pip install -e ".[dev]" && pytest -v python/fastsim/tests/ 
-#         pytest -v python/fastsim/demos/
\ No newline at end of file
+name: tests 
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [fastsim-2, fastsim-3]
+      paths:
+        - "python/**"
+        - "rust/**"
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - "python/**"
+      - "rust/**"
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  workflow_call:
+
+jobs:
+  call-rust-tests:
+    uses: nrel/fastsim/.github/workflows/rust-tests.yaml@main
+  test:
+    # might not be needed
+    # if: github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim'
+    needs: call-rust-tests
+    # add in if first step works
+    # if: ${{ github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim' }}
+    # or
+    # if: github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim'
+
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: true
+      matrix:
+        python-version: ['3.8', '3.9', '3.10']
+
+    env:
+      PYTHON: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
+    - name: set up python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+      with:
+        python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+
+# not sure if this is needed if I'm only running python tests
+    # - name: install rust
+    #   uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
+    #   with:
+    #     profile: minimal
+    #     toolchain: stable 
+    #     override: true
+
+    - name: Python unit tests 
+      run: |
+        pip install -e ".[dev]" && pytest -v python/fastsim/tests/ 
+        pytest -v python/fastsim/demos/
+
+  # in altrios, also includes Rust tests here -- but I think this would mean
+  # Rust and Python tests are always run (so, even if only python code is
+  # modified)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/rust-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/rust-tests.yaml
index 09896688..ae30df36 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rust-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust-tests.yaml
@@ -1,42 +1,49 @@
-# name: rust-tests
-
-# on:
-#   push:
-#       branches: [fastsim-2, fastsim-3]
-#   pull_request:
-#   workflow_dispatch:
-#   workflow_call:
-
-# jobs:
-#   test:
-#     # might not be needed
-#     # if: github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim'
-
-#     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-#     strategy:
-#       fail-fast: true
-#       # matrix:
-#       #   python-version: ['3.8', '3.9', '3.10']
-
-#     # env:
-#     #   PYTHON: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-#     steps:
-#     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-
-#     # - name: set up python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-#     #   uses: actions/setup-python@v4
-#     #   with:
-#     #     python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-
-#     # if: contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'rust/')
-#     - name: install rust
-#       uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
-#       with:
-#         profile: minimal
-#         toolchain: stable
-#         override: true
-
-#     - name: Rust unit tests
-#       run: |
-#         cd rust/ && cargo test
\ No newline at end of file
+name: tests
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [fastsim-2, fastsim-3]
+      paths:
+      - "rust/**"
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - "rust/**"
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  workflow_call:
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    # might not be needed
+    # if: github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim'
+
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: true
+      # matrix:
+      #   python-version: ['3.8', '3.9', '3.10']
+
+    # env:
+    #   PYTHON: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
+    # - name: set up python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+    #   uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+    #   with:
+    #     python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+
+    # if: contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'rust/')
+    - name: install rust
+      uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
+      with:
+        profile: minimal
+        toolchain: stable
+        override: true
+
+    - name: Rust unit tests
+      run: |
+        cd rust/ && cargo test
+
+      # in altrios, also includes python tests here, not sure I 
+      # understand what added benefit this gives
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
index fa0d63eb..41e11750 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
@@ -1,48 +1,44 @@
-name: tests 
-
-on:
-  push:
-      branches: [fastsim-2, fastsim-3]
-  pull_request:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-
-jobs:
-  test:
-    # if: ${{ github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim' }}
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: true
-      matrix:
-        python-version: ['3.8', '3.9', '3.10']
-
-    env:
-      PYTHON: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-    steps:
-    # - ${{ if eq(github.repository, 'NREL/fastsim') }}:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-
-      - name: set up python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v4
-        with:
-          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-
-      - name: install rust
-        uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
-        with:
-          profile: minimal
-          toolchain: stable
-          override: true
-
-      - name: Rust unit tests
-        if: ${{ github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim' && contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'rust/') }}
-        # if: ${{ contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'rust/') }}
-        run: |
-          cd rust/ && cargo test
-
-      - name: Python unit tests 
-        if: ${{ github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim' && (contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'python/') || contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'rust/')) }}
-        # if: ${{ contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'python/') || contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'rust/') }}
-        run: |
-          pip install -e ".[dev]" && pytest -v python/fastsim/tests/ 
-          pytest -v python/fastsim/demos/
\ No newline at end of file
+# name: tests 
+
+# on:
+#   push:
+#       branches: [fastsim-2, fastsim-3]
+#   pull_request:
+#   workflow_dispatch:
+
+# jobs:
+#   test:
+#     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+#     strategy:
+#       fail-fast: true
+#       matrix:
+#         python-version: ['3.8', '3.9', '3.10']
+
+#     env:
+#       PYTHON: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+#     steps:
+#       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
+#       - name: set up python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+#         uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+#         with:
+#           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+
+#       - name: install rust
+#         uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
+#         with:
+#           profile: minimal
+#           toolchain: stable
+#           override: true
+
+#       - name: Rust unit tests
+#         if: ${{ github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim' && contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'rust/') }}
+#         run: |
+#           cd rust/ && cargo test
+
+#       - name: Python unit tests 
+#         if: ${{ github.repository == 'nrel/fastsim' && (contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'python/') || contains(github.event.pull_request.changed_files, 'rust/')) }}
+#         run: |
+#           pip install -e ".[dev]" && pytest -v python/fastsim/tests/ 
+#           pytest -v python/fastsim/demos/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wheels.yaml b/.github/workflows/wheels.yaml
index f93930e9..7806f23c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wheels.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wheels.yaml
@@ -9,10 +9,11 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   call-tests:
-    uses: nrel/fastsim/.github/workflows/tests.yaml@main
+    uses: nrel/fastsim/.github/workflows/py-tests.yaml@main
     # nrel/fastsim/.github/workflows/rust-tests.yaml@main && nrel/fastsim/.github/workflows/py-tests.yaml@main
   build:
     name: build py3.${{ matrix.python-version }} on ${{ matrix.platform || matrix.os }}
+    needs: call-tests
     strategy:
       fail-fast: true
       matrix: