diff --git a/pytest.ini b/pytest.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..51a2dab3e59f721411963a5d57b7c7dad26cc0dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pytest.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+[pytest]
+markers =
+    mpi: test requires MPI
+    octave: test requires Octave
diff --git a/test/test_interop.py b/test/test_interop.py
index f6a14c568dfd7310533e168df1ab9c62d460ef11..8cbfb8fd7442c5c26a38f45759142923a7afd7b0 100644
--- a/test/test_interop.py
+++ b/test/test_interop.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("dim", [1, 2, 3])
+@pytest.mark.octave
 def test_nodal_dg_interop(actx_factory, dim):
     pytest.importorskip("oct2py")
     actx = actx_factory()