diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 6537518cf205cf71dc5117bf8c3bc74ebd47d638..4f7158c22cc9f4d08ea4c2b0235e077e1cb9a518 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ stages:
   # update apt
   - apt-get update
 
-  # cmake 3.11 installation (provisional)
+.cmake316_template: &cmake316_definition
+  # cmake 3.16 installation (provisional)
   - mkdir ~/temp
   - cd ~/temp
   - wget https://cmake.org/files/v3.16/cmake-3.16.0.tar.gz
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ build_and_test:bionic:
   except:
     - master
   script:
+    - *cmake316_definition
     - *build_and_test_definition
 
 ############ UBUNTU 20.04 TESTS ############