diff --git a/test/test_julia.py b/test/test_julia.py
index 75c9a1f..aeb7941 100644
--- a/test/test_julia.py
+++ b/test/test_julia.py
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@
 from numpy.testing import assert_array_equal
 import pytest
 
+
 try:
-    from grpc4bmi.bmi_julia_model import BmiJulia
+    from grpc4bmi.bmi_julia_model import BmiJulia,install
     from juliacall import Main as jl
 except ImportError:
     BmiJulia = None
@@ -14,10 +15,14 @@
 class TestJuliaHeatModel:
     @pytest.fixture(scope="class", autouse=True)
     def install_heat(self):
+        # TODO for other Julia models do we need to install BasicModelInterface?
+        # it is dep of Heat.jl, but we use it directly
+        install('BasicModelInterface')
         jl.Pkg.add(
             url="https://github.com/csdms/bmi-example-julia.git",
             rev="d8b354ceddf6b048727c2e214031f43d62964120",
         )
+       
 
     @pytest.fixture
     def cfg_file(self, tmp_path: Path):