diff --git a/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/__init__.py b/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/__init__.py
index 99da68fe4f..93170162c3 100644
--- a/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/__init__.py
@@ -22,10 +22,11 @@
 # as it's a stateless utility class
 register_dpmodel_mapping(EnvMat, lambda v: v)
 
-# Register opaque deepmd_export::border_op wrapper (used by GNN MPI
-# parallel inference; see comm.py module docstring).
-# Register fake tensor implementations for custom tabulate ops
-from deepmd.pt_expt.utils import comm  # noqa: F401
+# Register fake tensor implementations for custom tabulate ops.
+# comm.py (border_op fake/autograd) is NOT imported here — its
+# ensure_comm_registered() is called lazily from the with_comm_dict
+# export path in serialization.py to avoid eager libdeepmd_op_pt.so
+# loading that breaks fake-op registration order in tests.
 from deepmd.pt_expt.utils import tabulate_ops  # noqa: F401
 
 __all__ = [
diff --git a/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/comm.py b/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/comm.py
index 434d2a97b0..cb77c6a335 100644
--- a/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/comm.py
+++ b/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/comm.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
 
 import torch
 
+_registered: bool = False
+
 
 def _check_underlying_ops_loaded() -> None:
     """Surface a clearer error when libdeepmd_op_pt.so isn't loaded.
@@ -76,15 +78,11 @@ def _check_underlying_ops_loaded() -> None:
         )
 
 
-_check_underlying_ops_loaded()
-
-
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Fake (meta) impls — let make_fx / torch.export trace through.
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-@torch.library.register_fake("deepmd_export::border_op")
 def _border_op_fake(
     sendlist: torch.Tensor,
     sendproc: torch.Tensor,
@@ -99,7 +97,6 @@ def _border_op_fake(
     return torch.empty_like(g1)
 
 
-@torch.library.register_fake("deepmd_export::border_op_backward")
 def _border_op_backward_fake(
     sendlist: torch.Tensor,
     sendproc: torch.Tensor,
@@ -180,8 +177,37 @@ def _border_op_backward(
     )
 
 
-torch.library.register_autograd(
-    "deepmd_export::border_op",
-    _border_op_backward,
-    setup_context=_border_op_setup_context,
-)
+def ensure_comm_registered() -> None:
+    """Load libdeepmd_op_pt.so and register fake/autograd metadata for border_op.
+
+    Idempotent — safe to call multiple times.  Must be called before any
+    ``make_fx`` / ``torch.export`` trace that passes through border_op (i.e.
+    before the ``with_comm_dict=True`` export path in serialization.py).
+
+    Kept lazy (not called at import time) so that merely importing
+    ``deepmd.pt_expt.utils`` does not force-load libdeepmd_op_pt.so and
+    disrupt fake-op registration order in tests that don't exercise the comm
+    path at all.
+    """
+    global _registered
+    if _registered:
+        return
+    _check_underlying_ops_loaded()
+    try:
+        torch.library.register_fake("deepmd_export::border_op")(_border_op_fake)
+    except RuntimeError as e:
+        if "already has" not in str(e) and "already registered" not in str(e):
+            raise
+    try:
+        torch.library.register_fake("deepmd_export::border_op_backward")(
+            _border_op_backward_fake
+        )
+    except RuntimeError as e:
+        if "already has" not in str(e) and "already registered" not in str(e):
+            raise
+    torch.library.register_autograd(
+        "deepmd_export::border_op",
+        _border_op_backward,
+        setup_context=_border_op_setup_context,
+    )
+    _registered = True
diff --git a/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/serialization.py b/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/serialization.py
index d85a334493..2f99c5ca73 100644
--- a/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/serialization.py
+++ b/deepmd/pt_expt/utils/serialization.py
@@ -670,6 +670,14 @@ def _trace_and_export(
     # matter for tracing — only that they're valid tensors of the right
     # shape and dtype.  See ``_make_comm_sample_inputs``.
     if with_comm_dict:
+        # Load libdeepmd_op_pt.so and register border_op fake/autograd
+        # metadata now — deferred from import time so normal utils imports
+        # don't force-load the op library and break fake-op ordering.
+        from deepmd.pt_expt.utils.comm import (
+            ensure_comm_registered,
+        )
+
+        ensure_comm_registered()
         if not _needs_with_comm_artifact(model):
             raise ValueError(
                 "with_comm_dict=True requested but the model's descriptor "
diff --git a/source/tests/pt_expt/conftest.py b/source/tests/pt_expt/conftest.py
index d4d987fe95..228c6104ae 100644
--- a/source/tests/pt_expt/conftest.py
+++ b/source/tests/pt_expt/conftest.py
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@
     _get_current_function_mode_stack,
 )
 
-# ``deepmd.pt_expt.utils.comm`` self-bootstraps libdeepmd_op_pt.so via
-# ``_check_underlying_ops_loaded()``, so we no longer need to preload
-# ``deepmd.pt`` here.
+# ``deepmd.pt_expt.utils.comm`` is now lazy: libdeepmd_op_pt.so is only
+# loaded when ``ensure_comm_registered()`` is explicitly called from the
+# with_comm_dict export path.  Tests that don't exercise that path never
+# load the op library, preserving fake-op registration order.
 
 
 def _pop_device_contexts() -> list: