diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 5cde3bdc1d6a58873a6ea67492e1cb0def4e30b5..54221513ef2b649f211e237420bb9317a1bc1544 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 variables:
   PIP_CACHE_DIR: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/.cache/pip"
   PACKAGES_DIR: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/packages/"
+  CI_PYTHON_PATH: "NOT_SET"
 
 # Pip's cache doesn't store the python packages
 # https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/reference/pip_install/#caching
@@ -49,14 +50,18 @@ prepare_code:
     - export PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:$flagdir:$epimodel:$advisory:$met_processing:$met_processor:$plotting:$source_gen:$post_processing:$coordinator:$coordinator_tests
 
     - echo $PYTHONPATH
+    - $CI_PYTHON_PATH = $PYTHONPATH
     - ls ../
 
 half_fat_tests:
   when: always
   image: lb584/ews_coordinator:latest
   needs: ["prepare_code"]
+  dependencies:
+    - prepare_code
 
   script:
+    - export PYTHONPATH=$CI_PYTHON_PATH
     - cd $CI_PROJECT_DIR/tests/unit/coordinator/
     - python3 -m coverage run -m unittest *
     - python -m coverage report