diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index eb05c46a7bac6713182129d8750a4a9acc75ed12..1a93fae67008d403f5b135d9c34398c45a68656a 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ build-spack-env-on-runner:
   variables:
     SPACK_DEV_ENV: ebrains-dev
   script:
+    # deactivate environment views (we don't need them for the test build-job)
+    - >
+        echo "  view: False" >> $CI_PROJECT_DIR/site-config/$SYSTEMNAME/spack.yaml
     # run installation script
     - . install_spack_env.sh $CI_PROJECT_DIR $SPACK_VERSION $CI_PROJECT_DIR $SPACK_DEV_ENV $SPACK_PATH_GITLAB
     # re-activate envionment and run tests