diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-package.yml b/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
index 37f1aff..9c394a3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
@@ -25,11 +25,16 @@ jobs:
         python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
+        sudo apt install -y libopenmpi-dev libhdf5-mpi-dev
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip
         python -m pip install pylint pytest pytest-cov
         python -m pip install jupyter
         if [ -f requirements.txt ]; then pip install -r requirements.txt; fi
+        CC="mpicc" HDF5_MPI="ON" pip install --upgrade --force-reinstall --no-binary=h5py h5py
         python setup.py install
+      env:
+        CC: mpicc
+        HDF5_MPI: ON
     - name: Lint with pylint
       run: |
         # stop the build if there are Python syntax errors or undefined names
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 5e9952d..0d5e71d 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ numpy>=1.21.0;python_version>="3.8"
 numpy<1.22.*;python_version<"3.8"
 astropy;python_version>="3.8"
 astropy<5.*;python_version<"3.8"
-h5py
+h5py>=2.9=mpi*
 pandas;python_version>="3.8"
 pandas<1.4.*;python_version<"3.8"
 pyarrow
 tables
+mpi4py
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index ab9ebf7..2592729 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -24,9 +24,10 @@
                       "numpy<1.22.*;python_version<'3.8'",
                       "astropy;python_version>='3.8'",
                       "astropy<5.*;python_version<'3.8'",
-                      "h5py",
+                      "h5py>=2.9=mpi*",
                       "pandas;python_version>='3.8'",
                       "pandas<1.4.*;python_version<'3.8'",
                       "pyarrow",
-                      "tables"]
+                      "tables",
+                      "mpi4py"]
 )
diff --git a/tables_io/ioUtils.py b/tables_io/ioUtils.py
index fb4c9df..248fec3 100644
--- a/tables_io/ioUtils.py
+++ b/tables_io/ioUtils.py
@@ -123,13 +123,15 @@ def initializeHdf5WriteSingle(filepath, groupname=None, **kwds):
     return group, outf        
 
 
-def initializeHdf5Write(filepath, **kwds):
+def initializeHdf5Write(filepath, comm=None, **kwds):
     """ Prepares an hdf5 file for output
 
     Parameters
     ----------
     filepath : `str`
         The output file name
+    comm: `communicator`
+        MPI commuticator to do parallel writing
 
     Returns
     -------
@@ -161,7 +163,12 @@ def initializeHdf5Write(filepath, **kwds):
     outdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(filepath))
     if not os.path.exists(outdir):  #pragma: no cover
         os.makedirs(outdir, exist_ok=True)
-    outf = h5py.File(filepath, "w")
+    if comm == None:
+        outf = h5py.File(filepath, "w")
+    else:
+        if not h5py.get_config().mpi:
+            raise TypeError(f"hdf5py module not prepared for parallel writing.") #pragma: no cover
+        outf = h5py.File(filepath, "w",driver='mpio', comm=comm)
     groups = {}
     for k, v in kwds.items():
         group = outf.create_group(k)
diff --git a/tests/test_fileIO.py b/tests/test_fileIO.py
index 002f857..9f2e634 100644
--- a/tests/test_fileIO.py
+++ b/tests/test_fileIO.py
@@ -57,7 +57,23 @@ def test_write_output_file():
     groups, outf = io.initializeHdf5Write(test_outfile, data = dict(photoz_mode=((npdf,), 'f4'), photoz_pdf=((npdf, nbins), 'f4')))
     io.writeDictToHdf5Chunk(groups, data_dict, 0, npdf, zmode='photoz_mode', pz_pdf='photoz_pdf')
     io.finalizeHdf5Write(outf, 'md', zgrid=zgrid)
+    os.unlink(test_outfile)
 
+def test_write_output_parallel_file():
+    from mpi4py import MPI
+    """ Testing parallel write """
+    comm = MPI.COMM_WORLD
+    npdf = 40
+    nbins = 21
+    pz_pdf = np.random.uniform(size=(npdf, nbins))
+    zgrid = np.linspace(0, 4, nbins)
+    zmode = zgrid[np.argmax(pz_pdf, axis=1)]
+
+    data_dict = {'data': dict(zmode=zmode, pz_pdf=pz_pdf)}
+
+    groups, outf = io.initializeHdf5Write(test_outfile, data = dict(photoz_mode=((npdf,), 'f4'), photoz_pdf=((npdf, nbins), 'f4')), comm=comm)
+    io.writeDictToHdf5Chunk(groups, data_dict, 0, npdf, zmode='photoz_mode', pz_pdf='photoz_pdf')
+    io.finalizeHdf5Write(outf, 'md', zgrid=zgrid)
     os.unlink(test_outfile)
     
 def test_write_output_file_single():