diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 3e1ebcd1154928b40217ace51e56ac8582d7b2bf..984886b205fb7bc800ee48744dfaef9a5884bfe9 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 # along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
+services:
+  - mariadb:10.4
 variables:
   CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE: $CI_REGISTRY/caosdb-mysqlbackend-testenv:latest
   MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: caosdb1234
@@ -42,13 +44,12 @@ stages:
       -F ref=dev https://gitlab.indiscale.com/api/v4/projects/14/trigger/pipeline
 
 unittests:
-  image: mariadb:10.4
   tags: [ docker ]
   stage: test
   script:
-    - service --status-all || echo "failed"
     - cp config.defaults .config
     - echo "MYSQL_USER_PASSWORD=caosdb1234" >> .config
+    - echo "MYSQL_HOST=mariadb" >> .config
     - . .config || echo "failed"
     - whereis mysql
     - command -v mysql