diff --git a/docker/ubuntu b/docker/ubuntu
index 5ad15d8..99936ee 100644
--- a/docker/ubuntu
+++ b/docker/ubuntu
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ FROM spack/ubuntu-jammy:develop
 # 1. apt-get install necessary build tools
 # 2. apt-get install dependencies for spack to build correctly
 RUN apt-get update \
-&& apt-get upgrade -y \
 && apt-get install -y \
     python3-dev \
     python-is-python3 \
@@ -14,12 +13,7 @@ RUN apt-get update \
     vim \
     emacs \
     wget \
-    libgl1 \
-&& apt-get install -y \
     libssl-dev \
-    libopenmpi-dev \
-    libscotch-dev \
-    flex \
 && apt-get clean \
 && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
@@ -39,10 +33,12 @@ ENV PYTHONPATH=${PYTHONPATH}:${MYNA_DIR}
 
 # What we want to install and how we want to install it
 # is specified in a manifest file (spack.yaml)
+# mpich added because of issues with openmpi
 RUN mkdir -p /opt/spack-environment && \
 set -o noclobber \
 &&  (echo spack: \
 &&   echo '  specs:' \
+&&   echo '  - mpich@4.3.0' \
 &&   echo '  - exaca@master' \
 &&   echo '  - additivefoam@main' \
 &&   echo '  concretizer:' \
@@ -52,7 +48,7 @@ set -o noclobber \
 &&   echo '  view: /opt/views/view') > /opt/spack-environment/spack.yaml
 
 # Find apt-get packages, then build the spack environment
-# NOTE: doesn't look like it is finding the system openmpi
+# NOTE: could use "spack --backtrace external find openmpi" etc.
 RUN cd /opt/spack-environment \
 && spack env activate . \
 && spack external find \