diff --git a/.github/workflows/project-builder-wo-python.yml b/.github/workflows/project-builder-wo-python.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea069db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/project-builder-wo-python.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+name: Build & Test (ubuntu)
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - 'improve-python-installation'
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      with:
+        submodules: recursive
+    - name: install pre-reqs
+      run: sudo apt-get install -y build-essential cmake
+    - name: build step
+      run: mkdir build; cd build; cmake ..; make;
+    - name: run tests
+      run: sh test.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index b286cff..3754470 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -436,39 +436,48 @@ endif()
 
 ## Build Python interface ---------------------------------------------------------------
 if (${BUILD_PYTHON_INTERFACE})
-    
-    add_subdirectory(external/pybind11)
-    add_subdirectory(interfaces/python/lcqpow)
 
-    set(
-        PYTHON_INTERFACE_DIR
-        ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/interfaces/python
-    )
+    find_package(Eigen3)
 
-    set(
-        PYTHON_INTERFACE_NAME
-        lcqpow
-    )
+    if (Eigen3_found)
+        add_subdirectory(external/pybind11)
+        add_subdirectory(interfaces/python/lcqpow)
 
-    set(
-        PYTHON_INTERFACE_DESTINATION
-        ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/interfaces/python
-    )
+        set(
+            PYTHON_INTERFACE_DIR
+            ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/interfaces/python
+        )
 
-    file(
-        COPY ${PYTHON_INTERFACE_DIR}/${PYTHON_INTERFACE_NAME}/__init__.py
-        DESTINATION ${PYTHON_INTERFACE_DESTINATION}/${PYTHON_INTERFACE_NAME}
-    )
+        set(
+            PYTHON_INTERFACE_NAME
+            lcqpow
+        )
 
-    file(
-        COPY ${PYTHON_INTERFACE_DIR}/examples/
-        DESTINATION ${PYTHON_INTERFACE_DESTINATION}
-    )
+        set(
+            PYTHON_INTERFACE_DESTINATION
+            ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/interfaces/python
+        )
 
-    file(
-        COPY ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/examples/example_data
-        DESTINATION ${PYTHON_INTERFACE_DESTINATION}
-    )
+        file(
+            COPY ${PYTHON_INTERFACE_DIR}/${PYTHON_INTERFACE_NAME}/__init__.py
+            DESTINATION ${PYTHON_INTERFACE_DESTINATION}/${PYTHON_INTERFACE_NAME}
+        )
+
+        file(
+            COPY ${PYTHON_INTERFACE_DIR}/examples/
+            DESTINATION ${PYTHON_INTERFACE_DESTINATION}
+        )
+
+        file(
+            COPY ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/examples/example_data
+            DESTINATION ${PYTHON_INTERFACE_DESTINATION}
+        )
+    
+    else()
+
+        message(WARNING "Eigen3 not found. Skipping installation of python interface.")
+
+    endif()
     
 endif()
 
diff --git a/interfaces/python/lcqpow/CMakeLists.txt b/interfaces/python/lcqpow/CMakeLists.txt
index a4fd31f..2a7bf5c 100644
--- a/interfaces/python/lcqpow/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/interfaces/python/lcqpow/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-find_package(Eigen3 REQUIRED)
 
 macro(pybind11_add_lcqpow_module MODULE)
   pybind11_add_module(