diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 6aea1913bfd2460337fe1e4cdf2adfa87042ab03..eff4f599a225e00218eb8f80d7d946f14ed052a6 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -7,13 +7,32 @@ cache:
   paths:
     - .cache/pip
     - devices/.tox
-.before_script_template: &before_unit_test
-  before_script:
-    - sudo apt-get update
-    - sudo apt-get install -y git
 stages:
+  - building
   - linting
   - unit-tests
+building:
+  stage: building
+  image: docker/compose:latest
+  variables:
+    CHECKOUT_DIR: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/../"
+    TANGO_SKA_LOCAL_DIR: "${CHECKOUT_DIR}"
+    TANGO_SKA_CONTAINER_DIR: "/opt/lofar2.0/ska-docker/"
+    TANGO_SKA_CONTAINER_MOUNT: "${TANGO_SKA_LOCAL_DIR}:${TANGO_SKA_CONTAINER_DIR_DIR}:ro"
+    TANGO_LOFAR_LOCAL_DIR: "${CHECKOUT_DIR}/tango/"
+    TANGO_LOFAR_CONTAINER_DIR: "/opt/lofar2.0/tango/"
+    TANGO_LOFAR_CONTAINER_MOUNT: "${TANGO_LOFAR_LOCAL_DIR}:${TANGO_LOFAR_CONTAINER_DIR}:rw"
+    TANGO_CONTAINER_ENV: "-e TANGO_SKA_CONTAINER_DIR=${TANGO_SKA_CONTAINER_DIR} -e TANGO_LOFAR_CONTAINER_DIR=${TANGO_LOFAR_CONTAINER_DIR}"
+    NETWORK_MODE: "lofar"
+  before_script:
+    - sudo apt-get update
+    - sudo apt-get install -y git make
+    - touch ~/.Xauthority
+  script:
+    - cd docker-compose
+    - make pull
+    - make minimal
+    - make build
 linting:
   stage: linting
   allow_failure: true
@@ -22,7 +41,9 @@ linting:
     - tox -e pep8
 unit_test:
   stage: unit-tests
-  <<: *before_unit_test
+  before_script:
+    - sudo apt-get update
+    - sudo apt-get install -y git
   script:
     - cd devices
     - tox -e py37