diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc-openmpi.sh b/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc-openmpi.sh
index bf921df33..7370ecf9c 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc-openmpi.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc-openmpi.sh
@@ -28,4 +28,5 @@ python3 -m pip install -U cmake pytest
 python3 -m pip install -U -r requirements_mpi.txt
 python3 -m pip install -U -r examples/requirements.txt
 
-python3 -m pip install -U openPMD-validator
+# extra tests
+python3 -m pip install -U -r examples/requirements_extra.txt
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc.sh b/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc.sh
index b5919cf5c..a60a00d27 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc.sh
@@ -27,4 +27,5 @@ python3 -m pip install -U cmake pytest
 python3 -m pip install -U -r requirements.txt
 python3 -m pip install -U -r examples/requirements.txt
 
-python3 -m pip install -U openPMD-validator
+# extra tests
+python3 -m pip install -U -r examples/requirements_extra.txt
diff --git a/examples/requirements_extra.txt b/examples/requirements_extra.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..31e2ca561
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/requirements_extra.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# This is for CPU CI tests with extra requirements.
+#
+# For PyTorch, see alternative packages, e.g., for GPU here:
+# https://pytorch.org/get-started/locally/
+--extra-index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cpu
+-r requirements.txt
+
+openPMD-validator
+torch