diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index e28e7b3c0391fbf512d8e54102a1d3176583cd04..fca859d154fcec160124aa2c6d25daf96f6e4b8d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ py27-linux:
   script:
   - git clean -ffdx
   - export TMPDIR=/var/tmp
-  - /idiap/project/beat/environments/staging/usr/bin/python bootstrap-buildout.py
+  - /idiap/project/beat/environments/staging/usr/bin/python bootstrap-buildout.py --setuptools-version=`/idiap/project/beat/environments/staging/usr/bin/python -c 'import setuptools; print(setuptools.__version__)'`
   - ./bin/buildout
   - ./bin/python --version
   - unset TMPDIR
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ py27-linux:
 py27-macosx:
   script:
   - git clean -ffdx
-  - /Users/buildbot/work/environments/beat/py27/bin/python bootstrap-buildout.py
+  - /Users/buildbot/work/environments/beat/py27/bin/python bootstrap-buildout.py --setuptools-version=`/Users/buildbot/work/environments/beat/py27/bin/python -c 'import setuptools; print(setuptools.__version__)'`
   - ./bin/buildout
   - ./bin/python --version
   - export NOSE_WITH_COVERAGE=1