diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 2b55216ac00d13b8f042bd7ddeb9ab9d2d98a20f..f69d2110aa998e911f1e59f57e3042bf6056bbb5 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@ stages:
   - test
 
 variables:
-  BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE: docker-registry.ebrains.eu/tc/ebrains-spack-build-env/okd:okd_23.06
-  GITLAB_BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE: docker-registry.ebrains.eu/tc/ebrains-spack-build-env/gitlab_runners_nfs:gitlab_runners_nfs_23.06
+  BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE: docker-registry.ebrains.eu/tc/ebrains-spack-build-env/base:devel
   SPACK_VERSION: v0.21.1
   SPACK_PATH_GITLAB: /mnt/spack_v0.21.1
   SYSTEMNAME: ebrainslab
@@ -51,6 +50,7 @@ variables:
 deploy-int-release-dev-cscs:
   extends: .deploy-build-environment
   variables:
+    BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE: docker-registry.ebrains.eu/tc/ebrains-spack-build-env/okd:okd_23.06
     OPENSHIFT_SERVER: $CSCS_OPENSHIFT_DEV_SERVER
     OPENSHIFT_TOKEN: $CSCS_OPENSHIFT_DEV_TOKEN
     OC_PROJECT: jupyterhub-int
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ deploy-int-release-dev-cscs:
 deploy-prod-release-prod-cscs:
   extends: .deploy-build-environment
   variables:
+    BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE: docker-registry.ebrains.eu/tc/ebrains-spack-build-env/okd:okd_23.06
     OPENSHIFT_SERVER: $CSCS_OPENSHIFT_PROD_SERVER
     OPENSHIFT_TOKEN: $CSCS_OPENSHIFT_PROD_TOKEN
     OC_PROJECT: jupyterhub
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ deploy-prod-release-prod-cscs:
 deploy-exp-release-dev-cscs:
   extends: .deploy-build-environment
   variables:
+    BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE: docker-registry.ebrains.eu/tc/ebrains-spack-build-env/okd:okd_23.06
     OPENSHIFT_SERVER: $CSCS_OPENSHIFT_DEV_SERVER
     OPENSHIFT_TOKEN: $CSCS_OPENSHIFT_DEV_TOKEN
     OC_PROJECT: jupyterhub-int
@@ -107,6 +109,7 @@ deploy-exp-release-dev-cscs:
 deploy-exp-release-prod-cscs:
   extends: .deploy-build-environment
   variables:
+    BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE: docker-registry.ebrains.eu/tc/ebrains-spack-build-env/okd:okd_23.06
     OPENSHIFT_SERVER: $CSCS_OPENSHIFT_PROD_SERVER
     OPENSHIFT_TOKEN: $CSCS_OPENSHIFT_PROD_TOKEN
     OC_PROJECT: jupyterhub
@@ -126,7 +129,7 @@ build-spack-env-on-runner:
   tags:
     - docker-runner
     - read-only
-  image: $GITLAB_BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE
+  image: $BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE
   variables:
     SPACK_DEV_ENV: ebrains-dev
   script:
@@ -161,7 +164,7 @@ sync-gitlab-spack-instance:
   tags:
     - docker-runner
     - read-write
-  image: $GITLAB_BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE
+  image: $BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE
   variables:
     SPACK_REPO_PATH: $SPACK_PATH_GITLAB/ebrains-spack-builds
   script:
@@ -196,7 +199,7 @@ test-gitlab-spack-instance:
   tags:
     - docker-runner
     - read-write
-  image: $GITLAB_BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE
+  image: $BUILD_ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE
   variables:
     SPACK_REPO_PATH: $SPACK_PATH_GITLAB/ebrains-spack-builds
     SPACK_USER_CACHE_PATH: $SPACK_PATH_GITLAB/spack/.spack