diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 7886a87..0f456ee 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ test_x86:
   script:
     - mkdir -p output.dir/
     - cd output.dir
-    - cmake -DTESTS=True ../
-    - make VERBOSE=1
+    - cmake ../
+    - make
 
     # execute all tests
-    - ./test_*
+    - make VERBOSE=1 CTEST_OUTPUT_ON_FAILURE=1 test
diff --git a/tests/run_itests.sh b/tests/run_itests.sh
index c1018ad..07038d3 100755
--- a/tests/run_itests.sh
+++ b/tests/run_itests.sh
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function teardown() {
 }
 trap teardown EXIT
 
-setup || exit 1
+setup || (echo "failed to setup" && exit 1)
 
 $CWD/run_itests.py || exit 1