diff --git a/GPy/models/bayesian_gplvm.py b/GPy/models/bayesian_gplvm.py
index 8f61a661..a55f7e60 100644
--- a/GPy/models/bayesian_gplvm.py
+++ b/GPy/models/bayesian_gplvm.py
@@ -57,11 +57,13 @@ class BayesianGPLVM(SparseGP):
             if np.any(np.isnan(Y)):
                 from ..inference.latent_function_inference.var_dtc import VarDTCMissingData
                 inference_method = VarDTCMissingData()
-            elif mpi_comm != None:
+            elif mpi_comm is not None:
                 inference_method = VarDTC_minibatch(mpi_comm=mpi_comm)
             else:
                 from ..inference.latent_function_inference.var_dtc import VarDTC
                 inference_method = VarDTC()
+        if isinstance(inference_method,VarDTC_minibatch):
+            inference_method.mpi_comm = mpi_comm
                 
         if kernel.useGPU and isinstance(inference_method, VarDTC_GPU):
             kernel.psicomp.GPU_direct = True