diff --git a/.github/workflows/pip-install.yml b/.github/workflows/pip-install.yml
index 2c3d5ee9..0a5fb2ed 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pip-install.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pip-install.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,32 @@ on:
 jobs:
 
   build:
-    name: 'py${{ matrix.python }} on ${{ matrix.os }}'
+    name: Build distribution
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          submodules: true
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        name: Install Python
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.11'
+
+      - name: Build sdist
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install -U pip build setuptools setuptools_scm wheel
+          python -m build --sdist
+
+      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: dist
+          path: dist/*
+
+  test:
+    name: 'Test py${{ matrix.python }} on ${{ matrix.os }}'
+    needs: [build]
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
@@ -17,10 +42,10 @@ jobs:
         python: ['3.9', '3.10', '3.11', '3.12', '3.13', '3.14']
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          submodules: true
-          fetch-depth: 0
+          name: dist
+          path: dist
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         name: Install Python
@@ -28,30 +53,17 @@ jobs:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python }}
           allow-prereleases: true
 
-      - name: Build
+      - name: Install from sdist
         run: |
-          python -m pip install -U pip build twine setuptools setuptools_scm wheel
-          python -m build
+          python -m venv venv-test
+          venv-test/bin/python -m pip install dist/vplanet*.tar.gz
 
-      - name: Test the sdist
+      - name: Verify import
         run: |
-          python -m venv venv-sdist
-          venv-sdist/bin/python -m pip install dist/vplanet*.tar.gz
-          cd /tmp && "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/venv-sdist/bin/python" -c "import vplanet; print(vplanet.__version__)"
-
-      - name: Test the wheel
-        run: |
-          python -m venv venv-wheel
-          venv-wheel/bin/python -m pip install dist/vplanet*.whl
-          cd /tmp && "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/venv-wheel/bin/python" -c "import vplanet; print(vplanet.__version__)"
-
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: dist-${{ matrix.os }}-${{ matrix.python }}
-          path: dist/*
+          cd /tmp && "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/venv-test/bin/python" -c "import vplanet; print(vplanet.__version__)"
 
   upload_pypi:
-    needs: [build]
+    needs: [build, test]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'published' && github.repository == 'VirtualPlanetaryLaboratory/vplanet'
     permissions:
@@ -60,8 +72,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          pattern: dist-*
+          name: dist
           path: dist
-          merge-multiple: true
 
       - uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@release/v1
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 908153be..74f273ba 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.5.35
+2.5.36