diff --git a/.github/workflows/create_test_conda_env.yml b/.github/workflows/create_test_conda_env.yml
index c6c83e44..e2df48e7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create_test_conda_env.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create_test_conda_env.yml
@@ -35,4 +35,14 @@ jobs:
         python --version
         $CONDA/envs/fre-cli/bin/python --version
         # run pytest
-        $CONDA/envs/fre-cli/bin/pytest
+        pytest --config-file=fre/pytest.ini --cov-config=fre/coveragerc --cov=fre fre/
+
+    - name: Run pylint in fre-cli environment
+      run: |
+        # try to make sure the right things are in GITHUB_PATH
+        echo $CONDA/envs/fre-cli/bin >> $GITHUB_PATH
+        which python
+        python --version
+        $CONDA/envs/fre-cli/bin/python --version
+        # run pytest
+        pylint fre/ || echo "pylint returned non-zero exit code. preventing workflow from dying with this echo."
diff --git a/fre/fre.py b/fre/fre.py
index 2623f8a1..ea2afa6d 100644
--- a/fre/fre.py
+++ b/fre/fre.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 )
 
 def fre():
+    ''' entry point function to subgroup functions '''
     pass
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':