diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-package.yml b/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
index 534e613..93336e5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@ jobs:
         python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
-        pip install tox juliacall
-        pip install -e . # to put juliapkg.json in sys.path
-        python -c 'import juliacall' # force install of all deps
+        pip install tox
     - name: Run Tests
       run: |
         tox -e unit-tests
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ce25767..190197c 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -19,42 +19,19 @@ classifiers = [
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
     "Operating System :: OS Independent"
 ]
-dynamic = ["version", "dependencies"]
+dynamic = ["version", "dependencies", "optional-dependencies"]
 
 [project.entry-points."braket.simulators"]
 braket_sv_v2 = "braket.simulator_v2.state_vector_simulator_v2:StateVectorSimulatorV2"
 braket_dm_v2 = "braket.simulator_v2.density_matrix_simulator_v2:DensityMatrixSimulatorV2"
 
-[project.optional-dependencies]
-test = [
-    "amazon-braket-pennylane-plugin",
-    "black",
-    "flake8",
-    "flake8-rst-docstrings",
-    "isort",
-    "pre-commit",
-    "pylint",
-    "pytest==7.1.2",
-    "pytest-benchmark",
-    "pytest-cov",
-    "pytest-rerunfailures",
-    "pytest-timeout",
-    "pytest-xdist",
-    "qiskit==1.1.2",
-    "qiskit-braket-provider==0.4.1",
-    "qiskit-algorithms",
-    "sphinx",
-    "sphinx-rtd-theme",
-    "sphinxcontrib-apidoc",
-    "tox"
-]
-
 [tool.setuptools]
 include-package-data=false
 package-data = {"*" = ["*.json"]}
 
 [tool.setuptools.dynamic]
 dependencies = {file = "requirements.txt"}
+optional-dependencies.test = { file = "requirements-test.txt" }
 
 [tool.isort]
 profile = "black"
diff --git a/requirements-test.txt b/requirements-test.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e32098
--- /dev/null
+++ b/requirements-test.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+amazon-braket-pennylane-plugin
+black
+flake8
+flake8-rst-docstrings
+isort
+pre-commit
+pylint
+pytest==7.1.2
+pytest-benchmark
+pytest-cov
+pytest-rerunfailures
+pytest-timeout
+pytest-xdist
+qiskit==1.2.0
+qiskit-braket-provider==0.4.1
+qiskit-algorithms
+sphinx
+sphinx-rtd-theme
+sphinxcontrib-apidoc
+tox
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 2124d8b..853c49e 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ test=pytest
 [tool:pytest]
 xfail_strict = true
 addopts =
-    --verbose -n auto 
+    --verbose -n auto --durations=0 --durations-min=1 --dist worksteal 
 testpaths = test/unit_tests
 
 [flake8]
diff --git a/src/braket/simulator_v2/julia_import.py b/src/braket/simulator_v2/julia_import.py
index bc09f09..74ea565 100644
--- a/src/braket/simulator_v2/julia_import.py
+++ b/src/braket/simulator_v2/julia_import.py
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ def setup_julia():
         jl.BraketSimulator.simulate._jl_call_nogil(dm, irs, input_dict, 0)
         # don't waste time looking for packages
         # which should already be present after this
-        os.environ["PYTHON_JULIAPKG_OFFLINE"] = "no"
         del sv
         del dm
         del stock_oq3
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index de6b055..46576b8 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ allowlist_externals =
     pytest
 setenv =
     PYTHON_JULIACALL_HANDLE_SIGNALS=yes
+    PYTHON_JULIACALL_OPTIMIZE=0
 commands =
+    python -c 'import juliacall' # force install of all deps
     pytest {posargs} --cov-report term-missing --cov-report html --cov-report xml --cov=braket
 extras = test