diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 077d37acdb368f0e7cd6dd9e79476ac6347c0d06..789f361ee76e3eb327a118f8b015f1882275fd88 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -34,9 +34,11 @@ stages:
   - cd $CI_PROJECT_DIR
 
   # configure git
-  - export CI_NEW_BRANCH=ci_processing$RANDOM
+  - if [ `git rev-parse --verify ci_processing 2>/dev/null` ]; then
+  -   git branch -delete ci_processing
+  - fi
+  - export CI_NEW_BRANCH=ci_processing
   - echo creating new temporary branch... $CI_NEW_BRANCH
-  #- export CI_NEW_BRANCH=ci_processing$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA
   - git config --global user.email "${CI_EMAIL}"
   - git config --global user.name "${CI_USERNAME}"
   - git checkout -b $CI_NEW_BRANCH # temporary branch