diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index dc37ba55caea1788721ca5582c2ad8dd741bdd07..cdfb65882353894fa25f405b21d27d9273bbb8ad 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ stages:
   # update apt
   - apt-get update
 
+  # create 'ci_deps' folder (if not exists)
+  - mkdir -pv ci_deps
+
 .license_header_template: &license_header_definition
   - cd $CI_PROJECT_DIR
 
@@ -65,7 +68,7 @@ stages:
   - fi
 
 .install_csm_template: &install_csm_definition
-  - cd $CI_BUILDS_DIR
+  - cd $CI_PROJECT_DIR/ci_deps
   - apt-get install -y libgsl-dev
   - if [ -d csm ]; then
   -   echo "directory csm exists"
@@ -80,7 +83,7 @@ stages:
   - make install
 
 .install_falko_template: &install_falko_definition
-  - cd $CI_BUILDS_DIR
+  - cd $CI_PROJECT_DIR/ci_deps
   - if [ -d falkolib ]; then
   -   echo "directory falkolib exists" 
   -   cd falkolib