diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 84022ef1ff203dc6c82765e7da21d271cc52b22d..a2233ffd32204a9cb2700d32795d86ae5cab477b 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ slc6-gcc48:
   image: clicdp/slc6-base
   script:
     - export GCC_VERSION="4.8.5"
-    - export BUILD_TYPE="dbg"
+    - export BUILD_TYPE="opt"
     - source .gitlab-ci.d/init_x86_64.sh
     - mkdir build 
     - cd build
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ slc6-gcc48:
     - ninja
     - ninja install
     - . ../bin/thisdd4hep.sh
-    - ctest --output-on-failure
+    - ctest --output-on-failure -j4
     - cd ../examples/
     - mkdir build
     - cd build
     - cmake -GNinja ..
     - ninja
     - ninja install
-    - ctest --output-on-failure
+    - ctest --output-on-failure -j4
     - cd ../..
     - rm -rf .git
     - sshpass -p $CLICTEL_PASS rsync -arv -e ssh --delete . clictel@lxplus:/afs/cern.ch/eng/clic/software/DD4hep/x86_64-slc6-gcc48-opt
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ slc6-gcc49:
   image: clicdp/slc6-base
   script:
     - export GCC_VERSION="4.9.3"
-    - export BUILD_TYPE="dbg"
+    - export BUILD_TYPE="opt"
     - source .gitlab-ci.d/init_x86_64.sh
     - mkdir build 
     - cd build
@@ -38,14 +38,14 @@ slc6-gcc49:
     - ninja
     - ninja install
     - . ../bin/thisdd4hep.sh
-    - ctest --output-on-failure
+    - ctest --output-on-failure -j4
     - cd ../examples/
     - mkdir build
     - cd build
     - cmake -GNinja ..
     - ninja
     - ninja install
-    - ctest --output-on-failure
+    - ctest --output-on-failure -j4
     - cd ../..
     - rm -rf .git
     - sshpass -p $CLICTEL_PASS rsync -arv -e ssh --delete . clictel@lxplus:/afs/cern.ch/eng/clic/software/DD4hep/x86_64-slc6-gcc49-opt
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ centos7-gcc49:
   image: clicdp/cc7-base
   script:
     - export GCC_VERSION="4.9.3"
-    - export BUILD_TYPE="dbg"
+    - export BUILD_TYPE="opt"
     - source .gitlab-ci.d/init_x86_64.sh
     - mkdir build 
     - cd build
@@ -64,14 +64,14 @@ centos7-gcc49:
     - ninja
     - ninja install
     - . ../bin/thisdd4hep.sh
-    - ctest --output-on-failure
+    - ctest --output-on-failure -j4
     - cd ../examples/
     - mkdir build
     - cd build
     - cmake -GNinja ..
     - ninja
     - ninja install
-    - ctest --output-on-failure
+    - ctest --output-on-failure -j4
     - cd ../..
     - rm -rf .git
     - sshpass -p $CLICTEL_PASS rsync -arv -e ssh --delete . clictel@lxplus:/afs/cern.ch/eng/clic/software/DD4hep/x86_64-centos7-gcc49-opt