diff --git a/tests/pytest.ini b/tests/pytest.ini
index ee4ddd5120..6ca7a91362 100644
--- a/tests/pytest.ini
+++ b/tests/pytest.ini
@@ -20,4 +20,3 @@ filterwarnings =
     # bogus numpy ABI warning (see numpy/#432)
     ignore:.*numpy.dtype size changed.*:RuntimeWarning
     ignore:.*numpy.ufunc size changed.*:RuntimeWarning
-    default:The global interpreter lock:RuntimeWarning
diff --git a/tests/test_cpp_conduit.py b/tests/test_cpp_conduit.py
index eb300587fa..a3c3eba117 100644
--- a/tests/test_cpp_conduit.py
+++ b/tests/test_cpp_conduit.py
@@ -2,15 +2,32 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import exo_planet_c_api
-import exo_planet_pybind11
-import home_planet_very_lonely_traveler
+import importlib
+import sys
+
 import pytest
 
 import env
 from pybind11_tests import cpp_conduit as home_planet
 
 
+def import_warns_freethreaded(name):
+    if name not in sys.modules and not getattr(sys, "_is_gil_enabled", lambda: True)():
+        with pytest.warns(
+            RuntimeWarning, match=f"has been enabled to load module '{name}'"
+        ):
+            return importlib.import_module(name)
+
+    return importlib.import_module(name)
+
+
+exo_planet_c_api = import_warns_freethreaded("exo_planet_c_api")
+exo_planet_pybind11 = import_warns_freethreaded("exo_planet_pybind11")
+home_planet_very_lonely_traveler = import_warns_freethreaded(
+    "home_planet_very_lonely_traveler"
+)
+
+
 def test_traveler_getattr_actually_exists():
     t_h = home_planet.Traveler("home")
     assert t_h.any_name == "Traveler GetAttr: any_name luggage: home"