diff --git a/.github/workflows/basic.yml b/.github/workflows/basic.yml
index a12f8a4b12ebd03f93b581a6da89edd6d0f96472..6ff2dee426faa7f027b7489b316a444ae7e12aff 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/basic.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/basic.yml
@@ -154,6 +154,30 @@ jobs:
       - if:   ${{ matrix.config.mpi == 'ON' }}
         name: Run MPI tests
         run:  mpirun -n 4 -oversubscribe build/bin/unit-mpi
+      - if:   ${{ matrix.config.mpi == 'OFF' }}
+        name: Run examples
+        run: |
+            build/bin/bench 
+            build/bin/brunel
+            build/bin/dryrun
+            build/bin/gap_junctions
+            build/bin/generators
+            build/bin/lfp
+            build/bin/probe-demo v
+            build/bin/ring 
+            build/bin/single-cell
+      - if:   ${{ matrix.config.mpi == 'ON' }}
+        name: Run examples with MPI
+        run: |
+            mpirun -n 4 -oversubscribe build/bin/bench 
+            mpirun -n 4 -oversubscribe build/bin/brunel
+            mpirun -n 4 -oversubscribe build/bin/dryrun
+            mpirun -n 4 -oversubscribe build/bin/gap_junctions
+            mpirun -n 4 -oversubscribe build/bin/generators
+            mpirun -n 4 -oversubscribe build/bin/lfp
+            mpirun -n 4 -oversubscribe build/bin/probe-demo v
+            mpirun -n 4 -oversubscribe build/bin/ring 
+            mpirun -n 4 -oversubscribe build/bin/single-cell     
       - name: Run python tests
         run: python python/test/unit/runner.py
       - if:   ${{ matrix.config.mpi == 'ON' }}
diff --git a/example/bench/bench.cpp b/example/bench/bench.cpp
index c1d913d3687cc414b041a126ba344905e14bdc21..ab5912e70ed54a00e08c9ba563de96eff7abf90d 100644
--- a/example/bench/bench.cpp
+++ b/example/bench/bench.cpp
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     }
     catch (std::exception& e) {
         std::cerr << "exception caught running benchmark miniapp:\n" << e.what() << std::endl;
+        return 1;
     }
 }