diff --git a/tests/tools/test_exampledata_utils.py b/tests/tools/test_exampledata_utils.py
index 3c1f88c6ea..613ec1485a 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_exampledata_utils.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_exampledata_utils.py
@@ -1,41 +1,43 @@
-import unittest.mock
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
 import requests
 
-from parcels import (
+from parcels.tools.exampledata_utils import (
     download_example_dataset,
     list_example_datasets,
 )
 
 
-@pytest.mark.skip(reason="too time intensive")
-def test_download_example_dataset(tmp_path):
-    # test valid datasets
-    for dataset in list_example_datasets():
-        dataset_folder_path = download_example_dataset(dataset, data_home=tmp_path)
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_download(monkeypatch):
+    """Avoid the download, only check the status code and create empty file."""
 
-        assert dataset_folder_path.exists()
-        assert dataset_folder_path.name == dataset
-        assert str(dataset_folder_path.parent) == str(tmp_path)
+    def mock_urlretrieve(url, filename):
+        response = requests.head(url)
 
-    # test non-existing dataset
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
-        download_example_dataset("non_existing_dataset", data_home=tmp_path)
+        if 400 <= response.status_code < 600:
+            raise Exception(f"Failed to access URL: {url}. Status code: {response.status_code}")
+
+        Path(filename).touch()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("parcels.tools.exampledata_utils.urlretrieve", mock_urlretrieve)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("mock_download")
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("dataset", list_example_datasets())
+def test_download_example_dataset(tmp_path, dataset):
+    if dataset == "GlobCurrent_example_data":
+        pytest.skip(f"{dataset} too time consuming.")
 
+    dataset_folder_path = download_example_dataset(dataset, data_home=tmp_path)
 
-def test_download_example_dataset_lite(tmp_path):
-    # test valid datasets
-    # avoids downloading the dataset (only verifying that the URL is responsive, and folders are created)
-    with unittest.mock.patch("urllib.request.urlretrieve", new=mock_urlretrieve) as mock_function:  # noqa: F841
-        for dataset in list_example_datasets()[0:1]:
-            dataset_folder_path = download_example_dataset(dataset, data_home=tmp_path)
+    assert dataset_folder_path.exists()
+    assert dataset_folder_path.name == dataset
+    assert dataset_folder_path.parent == tmp_path
 
-            assert dataset_folder_path.exists()
-            assert dataset_folder_path.name == dataset
-            assert str(dataset_folder_path.parent) == str(tmp_path)
 
-    # test non-existing dataset
+def test_download_non_existing_example_dataset(tmp_path):
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         download_example_dataset("non_existing_dataset", data_home=tmp_path)
 
@@ -47,14 +49,3 @@ def test_download_example_dataset_no_data_home():
     dataset_folder_path = download_example_dataset(dataset)
     assert dataset_folder_path.exists()
     assert dataset_folder_path.name == dataset
-
-
-def mock_urlretrieve(url, filename):
-    # send a HEAD request to the URL
-    response = requests.head(url)
-
-    # check the status code of the response
-    if 400 <= response.status_code < 600:
-        raise Exception(f"Failed to access URL: {url}. Status code: {response.status_code}")
-
-    print(f"Pinged URL successfully: {url}")