diff --git a/eessi/testsuite/eessi_mixin.py b/eessi/testsuite/eessi_mixin.py
index ad2cc0d7..c8ede0a6 100644
--- a/eessi/testsuite/eessi_mixin.py
+++ b/eessi/testsuite/eessi_mixin.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from reframe.core.backends import getlauncher
 from reframe.core.builtins import parameter, run_after, run_before, variable
 from reframe.core.exceptions import ReframeFatalError
 from reframe.core.pipeline import RegressionMixin
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ class EESSI_Mixin(RegressionMixin):
     always_request_gpus = None
     require_buildenv_module = False
     require_internet = False
+    launcher = None
 
     # Create ReFrame variables for logging runtime environment information
     cvmfs_repo_name = variable(str, value='None')
@@ -213,6 +215,12 @@ def EESSI_mixin_assign_tasks_per_compute_unit(self):
         # Set compact process binding
         hooks.set_compact_process_binding(self)
 
+    @run_after('setup')
+    def EESSI_set_launcher(self):
+        """Select custom launcher"""
+        if self.launcher:
+            self.job.launcher = getlauncher(self.launcher)()
+
     @run_after('setup')
     def EESSI_mixin_request_mem(self):
         """Call hook to request the required amount of memory per node"""
diff --git a/eessi/testsuite/tests/apps/numpy/numpy.py b/eessi/testsuite/tests/apps/numpy/numpy.py
index 52fa8f67..8532fa80 100644
--- a/eessi/testsuite/tests/apps/numpy/numpy.py
+++ b/eessi/testsuite/tests/apps/numpy/numpy.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 """
 import reframe as rfm
 import reframe.utility.sanity as sn
-from reframe.core.backends import getlauncher
 from reframe.core.builtins import parameter, run_after, run_before, sanity_function, variable
 
 from eessi.testsuite.constants import COMPUTE_UNITS, DEVICE_TYPES, SCALES
@@ -32,6 +31,8 @@ class EESSI_NumPy(rfm.RunOnlyRegressionTest, EESSI_Mixin):
         k for (k, v) in SCALES.items()
         if v['num_nodes'] == 1
     ])
+    thread_binding = 'compact'
+    launcher = 'local'  # no MPI module is loaded in this test
 
     matrix_size = variable(str, value='8192')
     iterations = variable(str, value='4')
@@ -58,11 +59,6 @@ def set_executable_opts(self):
             '--iterations-eigen', self.iterations_eigen,
         ]
 
-    @run_after('setup')
-    def set_launcher(self):
-        """Select local launcher"""
-        self.job.launcher = getlauncher('local')()
-
     @sanity_function
     def assert_numpy_found(self):
         """Assert that NumPy is found"""