diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 5f9c978ffe351db0dd2eafa5c88f196674c52e63..49ce1d0920328335632eaca758d2f20c69b958b1 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 variables:
   # this is the image where cpplib repo is present (artifact from pipeline in
   # caosdb-cpplib)
-  CPPLIB_REGISTRY_IMAGE: $CI_REGISTRY/caosdb/src/caosdb-cpplib/testenv:$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME
+  CPPLIB_REGISTRY_IMAGE: $CI_REGISTRY/caosdb/src/caosdb-cpplib/testenv:main
   OCTAVELIB_REGISTRY_IMAGE: $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/testenv:$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME
 
   OCTAVEINTTEST_BRANCHES: https://gitlab.indiscale.com/api/v4/projects/121/repository/branches