diff --git a/autodeploy/setup.sh b/autodeploy/setup.sh
index 57f1d2b..af7805e 100755
--- a/autodeploy/setup.sh
+++ b/autodeploy/setup.sh
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ echo "pixi install"
 "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/pixi" install --all --no-progress
 
 
+# create .pyc files to speed up first run
+"$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/pixi" run python -c 'print("python ran once")'
+"$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/pixi" run ipython -c 'print("ipython ran once")' || true
+
+
 #echo "copy owner group from level above"
 #group=$(stat -c '%g' ..)
 #echo "=> group ID: $group"