diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 2f98937466ff3358fb0d30d78026b08537d09d70..8732aaea157d57c12b855def9f5958a538e33979 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -22,4 +22,7 @@ cmake:
         - source /cvmfs/cms.cern.ch/cmsset_default.sh
         - yum install -y cmake3 python3 zsh
         - ./install.sh
-
+        - cd CMSSW*/
+        - shopt -s expand_aliases  # allows aliases like cmsenv to be used
+        - cmsenv
+        - scram b -j$(nproc)