diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 7ea11ed671..baa7c5a93c 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ variables:
   - export PATH="$fdroidserver:$PATH"
   - export PYTHONPATH="$fdroidserver:$fdroidserver/examples"
   - export PYTHONUNBUFFERED=true
+  # avoid error from the env var in config.yml
+  - export serverwebroot=/tmp
 
 .install_fdroid_server_deb: &install_fdroid_server_deb
   - apt-get --allow-releaseinfo-change update