diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index e4fab984b2607b7b391169d9953defc8df24e5e5..13eec1504d482c469dc3ec05a520f359b676481b 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -283,6 +283,11 @@ sync-gitlab-spack-instance:
     - spack env activate $SPACK_NFS_ENV
     - spack install -y -j2 --fresh --test root
     - spack reindex
+    # create load script that when sourced activates and loads the installed spack environment, using views
+    # this needs deactivating the environment first:
+    - spack env deactivate
+    - unset SPACK_LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+    - spack env activate --sh $SPACK_NFS_ENV > $SPACK_ROOT/var/spack/environments/$SPACK_NFS_ENV/load_env.sh
     # create kernel spec, so that the environment can be used in gitlab CI jobs
     - RELEASE_NAME=$(case $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH in experimental_rel) echo ebrains-experimental;; ebrains*) echo ${CI_COMMIT_BRANCH:0:10}.${CI_COMMIT_BRANCH:11};; *) echo $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH;; esac);
     - . create_JupyterLab_kernel.sh $SPACK_PATH_GITLAB $SPACK_NFS_ENV $RELEASE_NAME /mnt/ebrains_env