diff --git a/pylammpsmpi/utils/lammps.py b/pylammpsmpi/utils/lammps.py
index bc7ebca2..9a838c83 100644
--- a/pylammpsmpi/utils/lammps.py
+++ b/pylammpsmpi/utils/lammps.py
@@ -18,6 +18,28 @@
 __date__ = "Feb 28, 2020"
 
 
+def _initialize_socket(interface, cmdargs, cwd, cores, oversubscribe=False):
+    port_selected = interface.bind_to_random_port()
+    executable = os.path.join(
+        os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "../mpi", "lmpmpi.py"
+    )
+    cmds = ["mpiexec"]
+    if oversubscribe:
+        cmds += ["--oversubscribe"]
+    cmds += [
+        "-n",
+        str(cores),
+        "python",
+        executable,
+        "--zmqport",
+        str(port_selected),
+    ]
+    if cmdargs is not None:
+        cmds.extend(cmdargs)
+    interface.bootup(command_lst=cmds, cwd=cwd)
+    return interface
+
+
 class LammpsBase:
     def __init__(
         self, cores=8, oversubscribe=False, working_directory=".", cmdargs=None
@@ -30,24 +52,13 @@ def __init__(
         self._cmdargs = cmdargs
 
     def start_process(self):
-        port_selected = self._interface.bind_to_random_port()
-        executable = os.path.join(
-            os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "../mpi", "lmpmpi.py"
+        self._interface = _initialize_socket(
+            interface=self._interface,
+            cmdargs=self._cmdargs,
+            cwd=self.working_directory,
+            cores=self.cores,
+            oversubscribe=self._oversubscribe,
         )
-        cmds = ["mpiexec"]
-        if self._oversubscribe:
-            cmds += ["--oversubscribe"]
-        cmds += [
-            "-n",
-            str(self.cores),
-            "python",
-            executable,
-            "--zmqport",
-            str(port_selected),
-        ]
-        if self._cmdargs is not None:
-            cmds.extend(self._cmdargs)
-        self._interface.bootup(command_lst=cmds, cwd=self.working_directory)
 
     def _send_and_receive_dict(self, command, data=None):
         return self._interface.send_and_receive_dict(