diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-app.yml b/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
index 4a82bf6..a1ba63c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
@@ -18,22 +18,22 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-    - name: Set up Python 3.10
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v3
-      with:
-        python-version: "3.10"
-    - name: Install dependencies
-      run: |
-        python -m pip install --upgrade pip
-        pip install flake8 pytest
-        if [ -f requirements.txt ]; then pip install -r requirements.txt; fi
-    - name: Lint with flake8
-      run: |
-        # stop the build if there are Python syntax errors or undefined names
-        flake8 . --count --select=E9,F63,F7,F82 --show-source --statistics
-        # exit-zero treats all errors as warnings. The GitHub editor is 127 chars wide
-        flake8 . --count --exit-zero --max-complexity=10 --max-line-length=127 --statistics
-    - name: Test with pytest
-      run: |
-        python -m unittest discover .
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - name: Set up Python 3.10
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v3
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.10"
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          pip install flake8 pytest
+          if [ -f requirements.txt ]; then pip install -r requirements.txt; fi
+      - name: Lint with flake8
+        run: |
+          # stop the build if there are Python syntax errors or undefined names
+          flake8 . --count --select=E9,F63,F7,F82 --show-source --statistics
+          # exit-zero treats all errors as warnings. The GitHub editor is 127 chars wide
+          flake8 . --count --exit-zero --max-complexity=10 --max-line-length=127 --statistics
+      - name: Test with pytest
+        run: |
+          QT_QPA_PLATFORM=offscreen python -m unittest discover .
diff --git a/tests/test_gui_machine.py b/tests/test_gui_machine.py
index 17b72f0..7b7f55b 100644
--- a/tests/test_gui_machine.py
+++ b/tests/test_gui_machine.py
@@ -4,20 +4,28 @@
 
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication
 
-from tests.utils import mock_func, make_mock_pv, test_setup
+from tests.utils import mock_func, make_mock_pv, test_setup, MockPyDMWidget
 
+# TODO figure out a cleaner way to do this
 with mock.patch("epics.camonitor", mock_func):
-    with mock.patch("pydm.PyDMChannel", mock.MagicMock()):
-        from frontend.gui_machine import GUIMachine
+    with mock.patch("pydm.widgets.PyDMLabel", MockPyDMWidget):
+        with mock.patch(
+            "pydm.widgets.analog_indicator.PyDMAnalogIndicator", MockPyDMWidget
+        ):
+            with mock.patch("pydm.widgets.base.widget_destroyed", mock_func):
+                from frontend.gui_machine import GUIMachine
+
+
+app = QApplication(sys.argv)
 
 
 class TestGUI(TestCase):
+
     def setUp(self) -> None:
-        self.app = QApplication(sys.argv)
         self.gui_machine = GUIMachine()
 
     def tearDown(self) -> None:
-        self.app.closeAllWindows()
+        app.closeAllWindows()
 
 
 class TestGUIMachine(TestGUI):
diff --git a/tests/utils.py b/tests/utils.py
index c52cd98..55bf93f 100644
--- a/tests/utils.py
+++ b/tests/utils.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
+from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QWidget
+
 from lcls_tools.common.controls.pyepics.utils import EPICS_NO_ALARM_VAL
 
 
@@ -9,6 +11,17 @@ def mock_func(*args, **kwargs):
     print(f"mocking  with {','.join([args_str, kwargs_str])}")
 
 
+class MockPyDMWidget(QWidget):
+    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(parent=None)
+
+    def setAlignment(self, *args):
+        pass
+
+    def setWordWrap(self, *args):
+        pass
+
+
 def make_mock_pv(
     pv_name: str = None, get_val=None, severity=EPICS_NO_ALARM_VAL
 ) -> MagicMock: