diff --git a/heat/core/communication.py b/heat/core/communication.py
index 8e41cff59..b2e1209cf 100644
--- a/heat/core/communication.py
+++ b/heat/core/communication.py
@@ -8,23 +8,33 @@
 import os
 import subprocess
 import torch
+import warnings
 from mpi4py import MPI
 
 from typing import Any, Callable, Optional, List, Tuple, Union
 from .stride_tricks import sanitize_axis
 
 CUDA_AWARE_MPI = False
-# check whether OpenMPI support CUDA-aware MPI
-if "openmpi" in os.environ.get("MPI_SUFFIX", "").lower():
+# check whether there is CUDA-aware OpenMPI
+try:
     buffer = subprocess.check_output(["ompi_info", "--parsable", "--all"])
     CUDA_AWARE_MPI = b"mpi_built_with_cuda_support:value:true" in buffer
-# MVAPICH
+except:  # noqa E722
+    pass
+# do the same for MVAPICH
 CUDA_AWARE_MPI = CUDA_AWARE_MPI or os.environ.get("MV2_USE_CUDA") == "1"
-# MPICH
+# do the same for MPICH
 CUDA_AWARE_MPI = CUDA_AWARE_MPI or os.environ.get("MPIR_CVAR_ENABLE_HCOLL") == "1"
-# ParaStationMPI
+# do the same for ParaStationMPI
 CUDA_AWARE_MPI = CUDA_AWARE_MPI or os.environ.get("PSP_CUDA") == "1"
 
+# warn the user if CUDA-aware MPI is not available, but PyTorch can use GPUs
+if torch.cuda.is_available() and not CUDA_AWARE_MPI:
+    warnings.warn(
+        f"Heat has GPU-support (PyTorch version {torch.__version__}), but CUDA-awareness of MPI could not be detected. \n This may lead to performance degradation as direct MPI-communication between GPUs is not possible.",
+        UserWarning,
+    )
+
 
 class MPIRequest:
     """