diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 29095763d11f7395916be31129297319f163a9e7..3aced5d7a5a7a2de628a9b2b802ff42593bf69aa 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ build:
     paths:
       - build/
   script:
-    - cd build && cmake ..
+    - mkdir build && cd build && cmake ..
         -Dcpp_tools_BUILD_DOC=ON
         -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=gcc
         -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=g++