diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index e4e6514c235239d4eb14b6eab7379ed566de98d7..6e6be00e7a4dd56b03842d81d08745406b883337 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ testsuite_matlab:
   dependencies:
     - build_binaries
 
-.testsuite_octave_template:
+.testsuite_octave_template: &testsuite_octave_definition
   stage: test
   variables:
     OPENBLAS_NUM_THREADS: 1
@@ -67,13 +67,13 @@ testsuite_matlab:
     - build_binaries
 
 testsuite_octave_auto:
-  extends: .testsuite_octave_template
+  <<: *testsuite_octave_definition
   only:
     - tags
     - schedules
 
 testsuite_octave_manual:
-  extends: .testsuite_octave_template
+  <<: *testsuite_octave_definition
   except:
     - tags
     - schedules