diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index ce29162c35a3eba649a8d13d4791bc7e60d7171f..e349ab623b1c60bec49f71f65c8e6c09ff77be88 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -14,12 +14,23 @@ test:meson:
   tags:
     - mfix-exa
 
-test:cmake:
+.test:cmake: &cmake_def
   script:
     - python -m pip install cmake ninja conan
-    - cmake -S. -Bbuild -GNinja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
+    - cmake -S. -Bbuild -GNinja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$BUILD_TYPE
     - cmake --build build --target unit_tests_csg
     - cd build
     - ctest
   tags:
     - mfix-exa
+
+test:cmake:debug:
+  variables:
+    BUILD_TYPE: "Debug"
+  <<: *cmake_def
+
+test:cmake:release:
+  variables:
+    BUILD_TYPE: "Release"
+  allow_failure: true
+  <<: *cmake_def