diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index e4ad820672de8f85cab3f6670d3e7b8d6c1b1784..b6049c7dea2af5730b6719b89772fca5cb76cb94 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ test:
     - job: build-test
   script:
     - echo $PWD
+    - F_BRANCH="${F_BRANCH:-$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME}" ;
     - echo "F_BRANCH = $F_BRANCH"
     - echo "CAOSDB_TAG = $CAOSDB_TAG"
     - echo "DEPLOY_REF = $DEPLOY_REF"