diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index ecb4109abe6184de103032bb1317de536fa6898f..6c4b4386bac13e5648e92edc739785000365cfeb 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -53,13 +53,16 @@ stages:
   # -   ./license_manager.sh --add --path=${CI_PROJECT_DIR} --license-header=license_header_${CURRENT_YEAR}.txt --exclude=ci_deps
   -   ./license_manager.sh --add --path=${CI_PROJECT_DIR} --config-path=. --exclude=ci_deps
   - else
-      # update license headers of all files
+      # remove license headers of all files
+  -   ./license_manager.sh --remove --path=${CI_PROJECT_DIR} --config-path=. --exclude=ci_deps
+      # update license header
   -   export PREV_YEAR=$(( CURRENT_YEAR-1 ))
   -   echo "Creating new file license_header_${CURRENT_YEAR}.txt..."
   -   git mv license_header_${PREV_YEAR}.txt license_header_${CURRENT_YEAR}.txt
   -   sed -i "s/${PREV_YEAR}/${CURRENT_YEAR}/g" license_header_${CURRENT_YEAR}.txt
+      # add new license headers to all files
   # -   ./license_manager.sh --update --path=${CI_PROJECT_DIR} --license-header=license_header_${CURRENT_YEAR}.txt --exclude=ci_deps
-  -   ./license_manager.sh --update --path=${CI_PROJECT_DIR} --config-path=. --exclude=ci_deps
+  -   ./license_manager.sh --add --path=${CI_PROJECT_DIR} --config-path=. --exclude=ci_deps
   - fi
   - cd ..