diff --git a/mlflow/.env.template b/mlflow/.env.template
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7f807e2fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mlflow/.env.template
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[google]
+GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS =
+
+[mlflow]
+MLFLOW_TRACKING_URI = https://mlflow-dot-broad-ml4cvd.uc.r.appspot.com
+MLFLOW_TRACKING_USERNAME =
+MLFLOW_TRACKING_PASSWORD =
diff --git a/mlflow/check_tracking.py b/mlflow/check_tracking.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..942e0b2e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mlflow/check_tracking.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+import base64
+import configparser
+import os
+import pickle
+import random
+import tempfile
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import mlflow
+
+PONY = """
+iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACAAAAAgCAYAAABzenr0AAAHh0lEQVRYw61Xa2wU1xk9d96z7/Wu
+12Ztrw22qbHBTsE8nAYbjFS1QagthEpR+6NRpQaaqi20aiqURkojRQpVSJsGoeRHSZUKVVGVlLQl
+EgUDJsQJTVMDtsEYjI1tvGuvvZ59zOzO6/bHYtY8BBhn/t25c893vm/O+e69BF/i86Mnfl6/ZXXj
+9yoCgU2yKFZTSj1qLnfjSjR67Pj5/hfeOv167M415MsIvGP9rvqNjU2/qy8vezLkdUHiC7A2ARgK
+dF3u7z382bnGA5377LlruYUG37P5lR9Xhxv2EdYrXhwH+sZz8EgE9WU8zDVe8BwHb3cCZf6iBgA+
+ANNz1zMLCf6bLXtfWBZZud8te8XZd7qRRUxJoc9NIFQGQdh8iFRWu6TphnwnxrwJdHR2MQDwq2/8
+dktt2YqXRV7Kl9q2MJOegmkZMEwdgWUOSJIImspCUVWUBwJ1e7ZtHvrol+88syACbrfroy/O9V5c
+sWrVfkkoJDSTmYbH6QdDGHgcPty4PA7TNKEldIg8h5xhQjdNbnGoZN8jE+jo7KopLg58PRIpr2va
+XltBhMKcJMhQs+mb1bDhLXGDYRgMxBMwLQulPh/KAwEMTU6ce2QR2rZdx3M8ACBcWYLpliQmTuWD
+OkQXFGYSwbogxBCDhuZ6MCyDddtWY6BvAENnL13tOXbpjURK/dMjE2AYxrYsC7puQBB4NGysQaBq
+Aqm4CsHDorxmBTjubkiv34GvbFju+kvHewf+1fmhsRANfKpqmkpI3ueEECxaUoKa5kosXlaJVDKJ
+6Pg4KKUFbSQS6E10w1fiLlm5avVjC3JBe2vL9HDv4J8pLfQSQgg0TcOlvh54vA50x7vwxw/3IpVO
+5ecZgser2jCWGsaGjZvIgm1Y1K181eoaxsjHvRj89/+g53QMDw1h1cqV+G+0C+uXtKPCqMKhf7wD
+Qgi8Xh/OnPkEnMHANE3lTrx5d0JZFOqMwQQqHA6wRMC1zwcQqglCFEWwLEGkLILKyioYkzlkdQ0i
+L2FJbS3S2aTB83z8oQnsWL8r7JTcG3zuYGVO10hciV4jhHQQEJdHljE2NQWnJMGZdiJUuggAwLMW
+uru7ceTIEailU9jKPQ0AqKiIgFLK9/ReagHwz/sS2Nm6my/xl/2+LLh4h9dZxAAABYFlGUhrSjal
+6Ux5gENVKAQCYLRYhGXbyOo6Ghevxet/24u4exTf/c52cISHruswDAMZVbvGMMypB1agvHjJH6rD
+9Tt5lsHSUg4hDwuBJTBsAZmcQ7oajcG0KRgCTCoK1JiETDpzsxkVYeeW3chu1uBHKagFCIIA3TDN
+KZ22tre2pO6Mx84dPPvEz+oaqpoPCpxI1lYLKPGw4FgCQgCOIZAFAkkAzl7JQeJ5BD0yik0eExeG
+wdUGQRgGrCVCMB3I5QxkMqo6oyjHb9yIPtvW3Hj+Xr/6tgqUFS9+UhadZJGPgVe+t0ECLjec4jjO
+XM6AZRisiARQU+LDaO8o5NW1AABKKRQleTUWm6xvb23R79vc5g4ETiwFALd07+ATimKd6On5YGhS
+S3scftg2xeCEib5RA+x09lZf4DgOgSJ/NSHk+w/srnMHOTOXBYCsQe/6MDqTUN4+eqKt4/zAdo5z
+udKaAtO2AACjCQtJB397aTkOfr/vh/MiEJsauWDZJsZnbNh3cDh9sX9XOqt/9saJVy3D1Hvcsg9+
+VwAAkCUZhBrL7gKXRHFtR2cX99AEKOjRRCquGhbF6LRZ2AUpRVbXn/5B++PaoR37T4rN9E1hqQ3L
+lYVUT9HyXAPcXvdd4CzLsACc9yNwmws+H+7KrYysCYV84XUzKkV5EQuWISCEIOR1V0eCxUxlKFTV
+z85c3vBUS0vN+ggiy8OQnfI9wZOp1NDaVU2vPnQFACCuRF+aVKJjpg1ciRWqUOrzI53VoOayiF2L
+faLrhm0aJnK5e4s8lUrb8fj08/PSwK+/uefb31rbdLTcr5ppTcHItAXTyovBsCxMpVLGB5/+57UN
+W1vDpmlmeJ5HMpnE9HSikHUyhWhsAqNjY2+1fW3New8icEsgz7X9gtu2rvng0nDYRwhB/41xXJ20
+kTUoXCzBF4ODw38/e2719pef0oqLgxNer0eetR3DFHZZw9DhcspQ1TR9qENOQYAIBz1un00peq5f
+R4nXA8M0wLN58PqK8krDNJsopS1OhyzPla5l23NGt2xYMS8CDMFYIpNRGEIQcLtwbSKDNdUuiDdv
+OQLLwbapJPD8GkHIn0Yty8rfrebkmhc+wLFs47wIvHnyNevjvv5XkpqGUp8fj1UVo9RbMEnPyMiA
+yHPHnU7HklvZUsCybMwe0fLWy6/hBaHy+KnOpnmJ8KeHnt978PjJbReuD3eMxONaTJnB1WjUPNHT
+c/ivp8+2H+jcp3E8V17odixM07rtDOhwyMjldMiSBEEQnnloEc4+Lx5+6f0XD+P9na27WQIEKJA8
+0LkvOzuvqppFKS1kTWkWhAizyXAcB9umMAwDHMsufxCBed+OOzq7wpIk/sTpdDYwhLDJVOqY0+ls
+kiVxKwAHpVAVRXk3nUm+C+DCprZW9X54/wfaeRiPgPVMkQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==
+""".strip().replace(
+    "\n", ""
+)
+
+
+def load_env_values() -> None:
+    config = configparser.ConfigParser(interpolation=None)
+    config.sections()
+    config.read("/path/to/.env")
+
+    os.environ["GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS"] = config["google"]["GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS"]
+
+    os.environ["MLFLOW_TRACKING_USERNAME"] = config["mlflow"]["MLFLOW_TRACKING_USERNAME"]
+    os.environ["MLFLOW_TRACKING_PASSWORD"] = config["mlflow"]["MLFLOW_TRACKING_PASSWORD"]
+    os.environ["MLFLOW_TRACKING_URI"] = config["mlflow"]["MLFLOW_TRACKING_URI"]
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    print("STARTING")
+    load_env_values()
+    with mlflow.start_run(run_name="rc_remote_test"):
+        mlflow.log_param("a", random.choice([1, 2, 3, 5, 7]))
+        for epoch in range(10):
+            mlflow.log_metric("m", 2 * epoch * epoch + random.random() - 0.5, step=epoch)
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+            temp_dir_path = Path(temp_dir)
+            print("seems like we get here and then cant log the artifact")
+            model_file_path = temp_dir_path / "model.pickle"
+            with open(model_file_path, "wb") as f:
+                pickle.dump({"rc_remote_test": "grzybowa"}, f)
+            mlflow.log_artifact(model_file_path)
+
+            image_file_path = temp_dir_path / "pony.png"
+            with open(image_file_path, "wb") as f:
+                f.write(base64.b64decode(PONY))
+            mlflow.log_artifact(image_file_path)
+    print("DONE")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()