diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index f0f15ac0b3413e507a56940b671cab57f1862d5d..2c799eb8f60b845706e43841abba0f6129a9f65f 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ deploy-COBALT_GPUProc-prod:
   variables:
     LOFAR_USER: "lofarbuild"
     PACKAGE: "Online_Cobalt"
-    ACTIVATE: "0"
+    ACTIVATE: "1" # set to 0 to install the software, but not make it the current version
   script:
     # install on all production machines
     - LOFAR_TARGET="cbm201.control.lofar"
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ deploy-COBALT_OutputProc-prod:
   variables:
     LOFAR_USER: "lofarbuild"
     PACKAGE: "Online_OutputProc"
-    ACTIVATE: "0"
+    ACTIVATE: "1" # set to 0 to install the software, but not make it the current version
   script:
     # install on all production machines
     - LOFAR_TARGET="cpu01.cep4.control.lofar"