diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/debian-i686.yml b/.gitlab/ci/debian-i686.yml
index 76ba5d7a..09db9e06 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/debian-i686.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/debian-i686.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 test-mergerq-job-debian-i686:
-  variables:
-    DISTRO: cryptsetup-debian-12i686
   extends:
     - .debian-prep
   tags:
@@ -9,6 +7,7 @@ test-mergerq-job-debian-i686:
   stage: test
   interruptible: true
   variables:
+    DISTRO: cryptsetup-debian-12i686
     RUN_SSH_PLUGIN_TEST: "1"
   rules:
     - if: $RUN_SYSTEMD_PLUGIN_TEST != null
@@ -22,8 +21,6 @@ test-mergerq-job-debian-i686:
     - sudo -E make check
 
 test-main-commit-job-debian-i686:
-  variables:
-    DISTRO: cryptsetup-debian-12i686
   extends:
     - .debian-prep
   tags:
@@ -32,6 +29,7 @@ test-main-commit-job-debian-i686:
   stage: test
   interruptible: true
   variables:
+    DISTRO: cryptsetup-debian-12i686
     RUN_SSH_PLUGIN_TEST: "1"
   rules:
     - if: $RUN_SYSTEMD_PLUGIN_TEST != null
diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/debian.yml b/.gitlab/ci/debian.yml
index 8330fd4b..847feb81 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/debian.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/debian.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 .debian-prep:
   extends:
     - .fail_if_coredump_generated
-  variables:
-    DISTRO: cryptsetup-debian-12
   before_script:
     - sudo apt-get -y update
     - >
@@ -29,6 +27,7 @@ test-mergerq-job-debian:
   stage: test
   interruptible: true
   variables:
+    DISTRO: cryptsetup-debian-12
     RUN_SSH_PLUGIN_TEST: "1"
   rules:
     - if: $CI_PROJECT_PATH != "cryptsetup/cryptsetup"
@@ -48,6 +47,7 @@ test-main-commit-job-debian:
   stage: test
   interruptible: true
   variables:
+    DISTRO: cryptsetup-debian-12
     RUN_SSH_PLUGIN_TEST: "1"
   rules:
     - if: $CI_PROJECT_PATH != "cryptsetup/cryptsetup"
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ test-mergerq-job-debian-meson:
   stage: test
   interruptible: true
   variables:
+    DISTRO: cryptsetup-debian-12
     RUN_SSH_PLUGIN_TEST: "1"
   rules:
     - if: $CI_PROJECT_PATH != "cryptsetup/cryptsetup"
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ test-main-commit-job-debian-meson:
   stage: test
   interruptible: true
   variables:
+    DISTRO: cryptsetup-debian-12
     RUN_SSH_PLUGIN_TEST: "1"
   rules:
     - if: $CI_PROJECT_PATH != "cryptsetup/cryptsetup"