diff --git a/docs/content/docs/testing.mdx b/docs/content/docs/testing.mdx
index 505b1a977..e01200a87 100644
--- a/docs/content/docs/testing.mdx
+++ b/docs/content/docs/testing.mdx
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ just test-mpi                  # build with MPI, then run every leg
 just test-py-mpi "1;2;4" -m mpi # MPI-marked tests across a rank matrix
 ```
 
+The suite's `tests/conftest.py` provides `--with-mpi`; no MPI pytest plugin is
+needed. Tests marked with `@pytest.mark.mpi` are skipped without that option.
+Use `@pytest.mark.mpi(min_size=2)` when a test needs at least two ranks.
+Under `--with-mpi`, only rank zero reports pytest output.
+
 To do it by hand, build with MPI on, then run under `mpiexec` with `--no-sync`
 so each rank reuses that build. `--reinstall-package` and `--no-cache` force a
 genuine rebuild, since uv does not key its build cache on the environment:
diff --git a/packages/bench-third-party/uv.lock b/packages/bench-third-party/uv.lock
index 020029b14..9e2f4e25e 100644
--- a/packages/bench-third-party/uv.lock
+++ b/packages/bench-third-party/uv.lock
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 version = 1
-revision = 3
+revision = 5
 requires-python = ">=3.12, <3.14"
 resolution-markers = [
     "python_full_version >= '3.13' and sys_platform == 'win32'",
@@ -1543,15 +1543,13 @@ bench = [
     { name = "psutil", specifier = ">=7.2" },
     { name = "pytest", specifier = ">=8.2.2,<9.2" },
     { name = "pytest-benchmark", specifier = ">=5" },
-    { name = "pytest-cases", specifier = ">=3.8.6,<4" },
     { name = "pytest-cov", specifier = ">=7.1.0" },
     { name = "pytest-datadir" },
-    { name = "pytest-mpi", git = "https://github.com/aragilar/pytest-mpi.git?rev=nonzero" },
     { name = "tabulate", specifier = ">=0.9" },
 ]
 dev = [
     { name = "prek", specifier = ">=0.4" },
-    { name = "ruff", specifier = "==0.16.10" },
+    { name = "ruff", specifier = "==0.17.0" },
 ]
 docs = [
     { name = "griffelib", specifier = ">=2.2,<3" },
@@ -1573,20 +1571,16 @@ interactive = [
 test = [
     { name = "psutil", specifier = ">=7.2" },
     { name = "pytest", specifier = ">=8.2.2,<9.2" },
-    { name = "pytest-cases", specifier = ">=3.8.6,<4" },
     { name = "pytest-cov", specifier = ">=7.1.0" },
     { name = "pytest-datadir" },
-    { name = "pytest-mpi", git = "https://github.com/aragilar/pytest-mpi.git?rev=nonzero" },
     { name = "tabulate", specifier = ">=0.9" },
 ]
 workspace-test = [
     { name = "monoprop-bench-tools", editable = "../monoprop-bench-tools" },
     { name = "psutil", specifier = ">=7.2" },
     { name = "pytest", specifier = ">=8.2.2,<9.2" },
-    { name = "pytest-cases", specifier = ">=3.8.6,<4" },
     { name = "pytest-cov", specifier = ">=7.1.0" },
     { name = "pytest-datadir" },
-    { name = "pytest-mpi", git = "https://github.com/aragilar/pytest-mpi.git?rev=nonzero" },
     { name = "tabulate", specifier = ">=0.9" },
 ]
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 6b13bf49c..2c6a59a76 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -76,8 +76,6 @@ test = [
   "psutil>=7.2",
   "pytest-cov>=7.1.0",
   "pytest-datadir",
-  # depend on branch which only outputs from rank zero
-  "pytest-mpi @ git+https://github.com/aragilar/pytest-mpi.git@nonzero",
   "pytest>=8.2.2,<9.2",
   "tabulate>=0.9",
 ]
@@ -193,10 +191,10 @@ python_files = ["test_*.py", "bench_*.py"]
 pythonpath = ["."]
 markers = [
   "slow: mark test as slow (>=1 minute runtime)",
-  "mpi: mark test as requiring --with-mpi (pytest-mpi)",
+  "mpi(min_size=1): mark test as requiring --with-mpi and a minimum MPI rank count",
   "qiskit: mark test as requiring qiskit (optional dependency)",
 ]
-required_plugins = ["pytest-datadir", "pytest-mpi"]
+required_plugins = ["pytest-datadir"]
 
 
 [tool.coverage.run]
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 2f6870564..4bab8c411 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 """Pytest configuration for monoprop tests.
 
-MPI selection is handled by ``pytest-mpi`` (``--with-mpi``, ``@pytest.mark.mpi``).
+MPI selection is handled here (``--with-mpi``, ``@pytest.mark.mpi``).
 
 ``comm`` is parametrized over COMM_SELF and COMM_WORLD: use it for energies and gradients, which
 allreduce internally. ``serial_comm`` is always COMM_SELF: use it for rank-local state such as
@@ -40,17 +40,46 @@
     MPI = None
 
 
+def pytest_addoption(parser: pytest.Parser) -> None:
+    """Register the opt-in for tests launched under MPI."""
+    parser.getgroup("mpi").addoption(
+        "--with-mpi",
+        action="store_true",
+        default=False,
+        help="Run MPI tests; launch pytest with mpiexec.",
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.hookimpl(trylast=True)
 def pytest_configure(config: pytest.Config) -> None:
-    """Force pytest-mpi's ``--with-mpi`` under the VS Code adapter, which bypasses
+    """Enable ``--with-mpi`` under the VS Code adapter, which bypasses
     wrapper-level argument injection and would otherwise skip every ``mpi``-marked test.
     """
     invocation_args = tuple(str(arg) for arg in config.invocation_params.args)
     is_vscode_run = config.pluginmanager.hasplugin("vscode_pytest") or any(
         "vscode_pytest" in arg for arg in invocation_args
     )
-    if is_vscode_run and hasattr(config.option, "with_mpi"):
+    if is_vscode_run:
         config.option.with_mpi = True
 
+    if config.option.with_mpi and MPI is not None and MPI.COMM_WORLD.rank != 0:
+        reporter = config.pluginmanager.getplugin("terminalreporter")
+        if reporter is not None:
+            config.pluginmanager.unregister(reporter)
+
+
+@pytest.hookimpl(tryfirst=True)
+def pytest_runtest_setup(item: pytest.Item) -> None:
+    """Enforce MPI opt-in and rank requirements before setting up fixtures."""
+    for marker in item.iter_markers("mpi"):
+        if not item.config.getoption("--with-mpi"):
+            pytest.skip("need --with-mpi option to run")
+        if MPI is None:
+            pytest.fail("MPI tests require mpi4py")
+        min_size = marker.kwargs.get("min_size", 1)
+        if MPI.COMM_WORLD.size < min_size:
+            pytest.skip(f"Test requires {min_size} MPI processes")
+
 
 _COMM_PARAMS = (
     [pytest.param(None, id="comm_none")]
diff --git a/tests/test_mpi_configuration.py b/tests/test_mpi_configuration.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2cf14dca4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_mpi_configuration.py
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+# Copyright 2026 Algorithmiq
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""Regression tests for the suite's MPI selection and reporting hooks."""
+
+from unittest.mock import Mock
+
+import pytest
+
+from tests import conftest
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mpi_config(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(conftest, "MPI", None)
+    config = Mock()
+    config.option.with_mpi = False
+    config.invocation_params.args = ()
+    config.pluginmanager.hasplugin.return_value = False
+    config.getoption.side_effect = lambda _: config.option.with_mpi
+    return config
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mpi_item(mpi_config):
+    item = Mock(config=mpi_config)
+    item.iter_markers.return_value = [pytest.mark.mpi.mark]
+    return item
+
+
+def test_mpi_tests_require_opt_in(mpi_item):
+    with pytest.raises(pytest.skip.Exception, match="need --with-mpi"):
+        conftest.pytest_runtest_setup(mpi_item)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("with_mpi", [False, True])
+def test_unmarked_tests_do_not_require_mpi(mpi_item, with_mpi):
+    mpi_item.config.option.with_mpi = with_mpi
+    mpi_item.iter_markers.return_value = []
+    conftest.pytest_runtest_setup(mpi_item)
+
+
+def test_mpi_opt_in_requires_mpi4py(mpi_item):
+    mpi_item.config.option.with_mpi = True
+    with pytest.raises(pytest.fail.Exception, match="MPI tests require mpi4py"):
+        conftest.pytest_runtest_setup(mpi_item)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("size", [1, 2, 4])
+def test_mpi_minimum_rank_count(mpi_item, monkeypatch, size):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(conftest, "MPI", Mock(COMM_WORLD=Mock(size=size)))
+    mpi_item.config.option.with_mpi = True
+    mpi_item.iter_markers.return_value = [pytest.mark.mpi(min_size=2).mark]
+    if size < 2:
+        with pytest.raises(pytest.skip.Exception, match="requires 2 MPI processes"):
+            conftest.pytest_runtest_setup(mpi_item)
+    else:
+        conftest.pytest_runtest_setup(mpi_item)
+
+
+def test_mpi_marker_defaults_to_one_rank(mpi_item, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(conftest, "MPI", Mock(COMM_WORLD=Mock(size=1)))
+    mpi_item.config.option.with_mpi = True
+    conftest.pytest_runtest_setup(mpi_item)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("adapter_plugin", [False, True])
+def test_vscode_enables_mpi(mpi_config, adapter_plugin):
+    mpi_config.pluginmanager.hasplugin.return_value = adapter_plugin
+    mpi_config.invocation_params.args = (
+        () if adapter_plugin else ("-p", "vscode_pytest")
+    )
+    conftest.pytest_configure(mpi_config)
+    assert mpi_config.option.with_mpi
+
+
+def test_serial_configuration_does_not_require_mpi(mpi_config):
+    conftest.pytest_configure(mpi_config)
+    assert not mpi_config.option.with_mpi
+    mpi_config.pluginmanager.unregister.assert_not_called()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("with_mpi", "rank", "muted"),
+    [(False, 1, False), (True, 0, False), (True, 1, True)],
+)
+def test_only_rank_zero_reports_under_mpi(
+    mpi_config, monkeypatch, with_mpi, rank, muted
+):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(conftest, "MPI", Mock(COMM_WORLD=Mock(rank=rank)))
+    mpi_config.option.with_mpi = with_mpi
+    conftest.pytest_configure(mpi_config)
+    if muted:
+        mpi_config.pluginmanager.unregister.assert_called_once_with(
+            mpi_config.pluginmanager.getplugin.return_value
+        )
+    else:
+        mpi_config.pluginmanager.unregister.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_mpi_configuration_without_terminal_reporter(mpi_config, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(conftest, "MPI", Mock(COMM_WORLD=Mock(rank=1)))
+    mpi_config.option.with_mpi = True
+    mpi_config.pluginmanager.getplugin.return_value = None
+    conftest.pytest_configure(mpi_config)
+    mpi_config.pluginmanager.unregister.assert_not_called()
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index cbb78569a..d70712214 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -1052,7 +1052,6 @@ bench = [
     { name = "pytest-benchmark" },
     { name = "pytest-cov" },
     { name = "pytest-datadir" },
-    { name = "pytest-mpi" },
     { name = "tabulate" },
 ]
 dev = [
@@ -1081,7 +1080,6 @@ test = [
     { name = "pytest" },
     { name = "pytest-cov" },
     { name = "pytest-datadir" },
-    { name = "pytest-mpi" },
     { name = "tabulate" },
 ]
 workspace-test = [
@@ -1090,7 +1088,6 @@ workspace-test = [
     { name = "pytest" },
     { name = "pytest-cov" },
     { name = "pytest-datadir" },
-    { name = "pytest-mpi" },
     { name = "tabulate" },
 ]
 
@@ -1112,7 +1109,6 @@ bench = [
     { name = "pytest-benchmark", specifier = ">=5" },
     { name = "pytest-cov", specifier = ">=7.1.0" },
     { name = "pytest-datadir" },
-    { name = "pytest-mpi", git = "https://github.com/aragilar/pytest-mpi.git?rev=nonzero" },
     { name = "tabulate", specifier = ">=0.9" },
 ]
 dev = [
@@ -1141,7 +1137,6 @@ test = [
     { name = "pytest", specifier = ">=8.2.2,<9.2" },
     { name = "pytest-cov", specifier = ">=7.1.0" },
     { name = "pytest-datadir" },
-    { name = "pytest-mpi", git = "https://github.com/aragilar/pytest-mpi.git?rev=nonzero" },
     { name = "tabulate", specifier = ">=0.9" },
 ]
 workspace-test = [
@@ -1150,7 +1145,6 @@ workspace-test = [
     { name = "pytest", specifier = ">=8.2.2,<9.2" },
     { name = "pytest-cov", specifier = ">=7.1.0" },
     { name = "pytest-datadir" },
-    { name = "pytest-mpi", git = "https://github.com/aragilar/pytest-mpi.git?rev=nonzero" },
     { name = "tabulate", specifier = ">=0.9" },
 ]
 
@@ -1870,14 +1864,6 @@ wheels = [
     { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/0c/b9/c3df11997d29e69b3f8edae1e903bf44eaf4774ccf4c5b6ddcebde88931c/pytest_markdown_docs-0.9.2-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:9c05a5bee48214cb36583d4a5131d3a23b327a8d82c92ae860106053fd7d1f9e", size = 13536, upload-time = "2026-03-23T12:35:03.862Z" },
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "pytest-mpi"
-version = "0.6+9.g4b9aaba"
-source = { git = "https://github.com/aragilar/pytest-mpi.git?rev=nonzero#4b9aabaff9d14ba7d5e7677f7034949c5790064a" }
-dependencies = [
-    { name = "pytest" },
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "python-dateutil"
 version = "2.9.0.post0"