diff --git a/.github/workflows/a4.yml b/.github/workflows/a4.yml
index 1723c37ecae..353c18088c3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/a4.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/a4.yml
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ jobs:
         make
         sudo make install
         popd
-    - name: autotools build
+    - name: cmake build
       run: |
         set -x
         gcc --version
@@ -125,10 +125,14 @@ jobs:
         source .bashrc
         export CC=/home/runner/mpich/bin/mpicc
         export FC=/home/runner/mpich/bin/mpifort
-        autoreconf -i
-        ./configure --enable-fortran
-        make -j check
-    - name: cmake build
+        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="/home/runner/netcdf-c/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH"
+        mkdir build
+        cd build
+        cmake -Wno-dev -DNetCDF_C_LIBRARY=/home/runner/netcdf-c/lib/libnetcdf.so -DNetCDF_C_INCLUDE_DIR=/home/runner/netcdf-c/include -DPnetCDF_PATH='/home/runner/pnetcdf' -DPIO_ENABLE_FORTRAN=Off -DPIO_HDF5_LOGGING=On -DPIO_ENABLE_LOGGING=On -DPIO_ENABLE_TIMING=Off .. || (cat CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log && cat CMakeFiles/CMakeError.log)
+        make VERBOSE=1
+        make tests VERBOSE=1
+        ctest -VV
+    - name: autotools build
       run: |
         set -x
         gcc --version
@@ -136,11 +140,8 @@ jobs:
         source .bashrc
         export CC=/home/runner/mpich/bin/mpicc
         export FC=/home/runner/mpich/bin/mpifort
-        mkdir build
-        cd build
-        cmake -Wno-dev -DNetCDF_C_LIBRARY=/home/runner/netcdf-c/lib/libnetcdf.so -DNetCDF_C_INCLUDE_DIR=/home/runner/netcdf-c/include -DPnetCDF_PATH='/home/runner/pnetcdf' -DPIO_ENABLE_FORTRAN=Off -DPIO_HDF5_LOGGING=On -DPIO_USE_MALLOC=On -DPIO_ENABLE_LOGGING=On -DPIO_ENABLE_TIMING=Off .. || (cat CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log && cat CMakeFiles/CMakeError.log)
-        make VERBOSE=1
-        make tests VERBOSE=1
-        ctest -VV
+        autoreconf -i
+        ./configure --enable-fortran
+        make -j check