diff --git a/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/inputs_true.dat b/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/inputs_true.dat
index fae59e202e..4d0e90d8f1 100644
--- a/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/inputs_true.dat
+++ b/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/inputs_true.dat
@@ -1,39 +1,20 @@
 <?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
 <geometry>
-  <cell id="1" material="1" name="Fuel" region="-1" universe="0" />
-  <cell id="2" material="2" name="Cladding" region="1 -2" universe="0" />
-  <cell id="3" material="3" name="Water" region="2 3 -4 5 -6" universe="0" />
-  <surface coeffs="0 0 0.39218" id="1" name="Fuel OR" type="z-cylinder" />
-  <surface coeffs="0 0 0.4572" id="2" name="Clad OR" type="z-cylinder" />
-  <surface boundary="reflective" coeffs="-0.63" id="3" name="left" type="x-plane" />
-  <surface boundary="reflective" coeffs="0.63" id="4" name="right" type="x-plane" />
-  <surface boundary="reflective" coeffs="-0.63" id="5" name="bottom" type="y-plane" />
-  <surface boundary="reflective" coeffs="0.63" id="6" name="top" type="y-plane" />
+  <cell id="1" material="1" region="-1" universe="1" />
+  <cell id="2" material="2" region="1 -2" universe="1" />
+  <surface coeffs="0.0 0.0 1.5" id="1" type="z-cylinder" />
+  <surface boundary="reflective" coeffs="0.0 0.0 3.0" id="2" type="z-cylinder" />
 </geometry>
 <?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
 <materials>
-  <material depletable="true" id="1" name="UO2 (2.4%)">
-    <density units="g/cm3" value="10.29769" />
-    <nuclide ao="4.4843e-06" name="U234" />
-    <nuclide ao="0.00055815" name="U235" />
-    <nuclide ao="0.022408" name="U238" />
-    <nuclide ao="0.045829" name="O16" />
+  <material depletable="true" id="1" name="fuel">
+    <density units="g/cc" value="11" />
+    <nuclide ao="1.0" name="U235" />
   </material>
-  <material id="2" name="Zircaloy">
-    <density units="g/cm3" value="6.55" />
-    <nuclide ao="0.021827" name="Zr90" />
-    <nuclide ao="0.00476" name="Zr91" />
-    <nuclide ao="0.0072758" name="Zr92" />
-    <nuclide ao="0.0073734" name="Zr94" />
-    <nuclide ao="0.0011879" name="Zr96" />
-  </material>
-  <material id="3" name="Hot borated water">
-    <density units="g/cm3" value="0.740582" />
-    <nuclide ao="0.049457" name="H1" />
-    <nuclide ao="0.024672" name="O16" />
-    <nuclide ao="8.0042e-06" name="B10" />
-    <nuclide ao="3.2218e-05" name="B11" />
-    <sab name="c_H_in_H2O" />
+  <material id="2" name="water">
+    <density units="g/cc" value="1.0" />
+    <nuclide ao="2.0" name="H1" />
+    <nuclide ao="1.0" name="O16" />
   </material>
 </materials>
 <?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
@@ -42,9 +23,4 @@
   <particles>100</particles>
   <batches>10</batches>
   <inactive>1</inactive>
-  <source strength="1.0">
-    <space type="fission">
-      <parameters>-0.63 -0.63 -1 0.63 0.63 1</parameters>
-    </space>
-  </source>
 </settings>
diff --git a/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/results_true.dat b/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/results_true.dat
index c7b247e59e..7748cf5c05 100644
--- a/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/results_true.dat
+++ b/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/results_true.dat
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 k-combined:
-1.108161E+00 3.345885E-02
+1.857752E+00 2.922425E-02
 tally 1:
-1.178481E+02
-1.548363E+03
-4.198718E+01
-1.962188E+02
-2.252008E+02
-5.647830E+03
+5.337194E+01
+3.209877E+02
+1.621671E+02
+2.939588E+03
diff --git a/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/test.py b/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/test.py
index 656c55d126..b7f95ebfb6 100644
--- a/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/test.py
+++ b/tests/regression_tests/cpp_driver/test.py
@@ -35,15 +35,16 @@ def cpp_driver(request):
         os.environ['CXX'] = 'mpicxx'
 
     try:
+        print("Building driver")
         # Run cmake/make to build the shared libary
         subprocess.run(['cmake', os.path.pardir], check=True)
         subprocess.run(['make'], check=True)
+        os.chdir(os.path.pardir)
 
         yield "./build/cpp_driver"
 
     finally:
         # Remove local build directory when test is complete
-        os.chdir(os.path.pardir)
         shutil.rmtree('build')
 
 
@@ -65,10 +66,34 @@ class ExternalDriverTestHarness(PyAPITestHarness):
 
 
 def test_cpp_driver(cpp_driver):
-    model = openmc.examples.pwr_pin_cell()
+
+    model = openmc.model.Model()
+
+    # materials
+    u235 = openmc.Material(name="fuel")
+    u235.add_nuclide('U235', 1.0, 'ao')
+    u235.set_density('g/cc', 11)
+
+    water = openmc.Material(name="water")
+    water.add_nuclide('H1', 2.0, 'ao')
+    water.add_nuclide('O16', 1.0, 'ao')
+    water.set_density('g/cc', 1.0)
+
+    mats = openmc.Materials([u235, water])
+    model.materials = mats
+
+    # geometry
+    fuel_or = openmc.ZCylinder(r=1.5)
+    coolant_or = openmc.ZCylinder(r=3.0, boundary_type='reflective')
+
+    fuel = openmc.Cell(fill=u235, region=-fuel_or)
+    coolant = openmc.Cell(fill=water, region=+fuel_or & -coolant_or)
+
+    model.geometry = openmc.Geometry([fuel, coolant])
+
     model.settings.particles = 100
     model.settings.batches = 10
     model.settings.inactive = 1
 
     harness = ExternalDriverTestHarness(cpp_driver, 'statepoint.10.h5', model)
-    harness._build_inputs()
+    harness.main()