diff --git a/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-alpine.yml b/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-alpine.yml
index e0009adbf..e14352423 100644
--- a/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-alpine.yml
+++ b/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-alpine.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
       python3
       bash
       iproute2 linux-headers
+      openmpi openmpi-dev
+      openssh
   variables:
     COMPILER: g++
 
diff --git a/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-gcc.yml b/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-gcc.yml
index ed9c8cd50..64318ca8f 100644
--- a/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-gcc.yml
+++ b/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-gcc.yml
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@
       libeigen3-dev
       qtbase5-dev qtchooser qt5-qmake qtbase5-dev-tools
       ssh
-  variables:
-    ENABLE_MPI: --enable-mpi
 
 weekly-gcc:
   rules:
diff --git a/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-per-commit.yml b/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-per-commit.yml
index 4e4626593..ff8077951 100644
--- a/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-per-commit.yml
+++ b/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-per-commit.yml
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
       python
       boost gsl gtk3 openmpi
       openssh
-  variables:
-    ENABLE_MPI: --enable-mpi
 
 # Build stage
 per-commit-clang-debug:
diff --git a/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-scheduled.yml b/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-scheduled.yml
index df7d45350..604eeede1 100644
--- a/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-scheduled.yml
+++ b/utils/tests/gitlab-ci-scheduled.yml
@@ -14,14 +14,16 @@
     - pacman -Syu --noconfirm
       base-devel cmake ninja ccache valgrind
       python
-      boost gsl gtk3
+      boost gsl gtk3 openmpi
       glibc-debug
+      openssh
   script:
     - mkdir -p $CCACHE_BASEDIR_VALUE
     - export CCACHE_BASEDIR=${PWD}
     - export CCACHE_DIR=${PWD}/$CCACHE_BASEDIR_VALUE
+    - export MPI_CI=1
     # missing the flag --disable-python
-    - ./ns3 configure -d $MODE -GNinja --enable-examples --enable-tests --disable-gtk
+    - ./ns3 configure -d $MODE -GNinja --enable-examples --enable-tests --enable-mpi --disable-gtk
     - if [[ "$CI_JOB_STAGE" == "build" ]];
       then ./ns3 build;
       fi
diff --git a/utils/tests/gitlab-ci.yml b/utils/tests/gitlab-ci.yml
index d8e46aaa5..7e9999e5e 100644
--- a/utils/tests/gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/utils/tests/gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ workflow:
     - export CCACHE_BASEDIR=${PWD}
     - export CCACHE_DIR=${PWD}/$CCACHE_BASEDIR_VALUE
     - export MPI_CI=1
-    - CXX=$COMPILER ./ns3 configure -d $MODE -GNinja --enable-examples --enable-tests --enable-asserts --enable-werror $ENABLE_MPI
+    - CXX=$COMPILER ./ns3 configure -d $MODE -GNinja --enable-examples --enable-tests --enable-asserts --enable-werror --enable-mpi
       $EXTRA_OPTIONS
     - ccache -z
     - if [[ "$CI_JOB_STAGE" == "build" ]];