diff --git a/pylammpsmpi/wrapper/concurrent.py b/pylammpsmpi/wrapper/concurrent.py
index fbaaec61..5f3c5278 100644
--- a/pylammpsmpi/wrapper/concurrent.py
+++ b/pylammpsmpi/wrapper/concurrent.py
@@ -104,8 +104,9 @@ def __init__(
         self._cmdargs = cmdargs
         self._queue_adapter = queue_adapter
         self._queue_adapter_kwargs = queue_adapter_kwargs
+        self._start_process()
 
-    def start_process(self):
+    def _start_process(self):
         self._process = RaisingThread(
             target=execute_async,
             kwargs={
diff --git a/pylammpsmpi/wrapper/extended.py b/pylammpsmpi/wrapper/extended.py
index 7b6f31f1..cc421bc9 100644
--- a/pylammpsmpi/wrapper/extended.py
+++ b/pylammpsmpi/wrapper/extended.py
@@ -267,7 +267,6 @@ def __init__(
             queue_adapter=queue_adapter,
             queue_adapter_kwargs=queue_adapter_kwargs,
         )
-        self.lmp.start_process()
 
     def __getattr__(self, name):
         """
diff --git a/tests/test_base.py b/tests/test_base.py
index da89ebe9..c2b8624d 100644
--- a/tests/test_base.py
+++ b/tests/test_base.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ def setUpClass(cls):
             working_directory=".",
             cmdargs=["-cite", cls.citation_file]
         )
-        cls.lmp.start_process()
         cls.lmp.file(cls.lammps_file)
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/tests/test_concurrent.py b/tests/test_concurrent.py
index 4ef9ebda..0ac648d8 100644
--- a/tests/test_concurrent.py
+++ b/tests/test_concurrent.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ def setUpClass(cls):
             working_directory=".",
             cmdargs=["-cite", cls.citation_file]
         )
-        cls.lmp.start_process()
         cls.lmp.file(cls.lammps_file).result()
 
     @classmethod