diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 907934e7e6bd61d149d27aeb563e821c2b7a3b60..b49a3176f4dee19bef6ec06a76d5e9ea777c7582 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -41,8 +41,13 @@ test:
             CAOSDB_TAG=dev-latest;
         fi
       - echo $CAOSDB_TAG
+      - time docker load < /image-cache/caosdb-advanced-testenv.tar || true
+      - time docker load < /image-cache/mariadb.tar || true
+      - time docker load < /image-cache/caosdb.tar || true
       - docker login -u indiscale -p $CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD $CI_REGISTRY
-      - docker pull $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:latest
+      - time docker pull $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:latest
+      - time docker pull mariadb:10.4
+      - time docker pull $CI_REGISTRY/caosdb:$CAOSDB_TAG
       - EXEPATH=`pwd` CAOSDB_TAG=$CAOSDB_TAG docker-compose 
         -f .docker/docker-compose.yml up -d
       - cd .docker 
@@ -75,6 +80,7 @@ build-testenv:
         --file .docker/Dockerfile
         -t $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:latest .
       - docker push $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:latest
+      - docker save $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:latest > /image-cache/caosdb-advanced-testenv.tar
 
 cert:
   tags: [docker]