diff --git a/gitlab/after_build.sh b/gitlab/after_build.sh
index c9f0e880517fe5fd62f816e2b6569bf5e277984a..45a69db147b4f8ff809df9f59b09337a50057c6e 100755
--- a/gitlab/after_build.sh
+++ b/gitlab/after_build.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,2 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Sat 24 Sep 08:12:24 2016 CEST
-
-source $(dirname ${0})/functions.sh
-
-log_info "*** Not yet implemented ***"
diff --git a/gitlab/after_deploy.sh b/gitlab/after_deploy.sh
index dc97ec3a5e72f02e23d5efe1fc691bdec613ca2a..8a57965e9d0af0397c64d571849c3511fda5d615 100755
--- a/gitlab/after_deploy.sh
+++ b/gitlab/after_deploy.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,2 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Thu 22 Sep 2016 15:11:53 CEST
-
-source $(dirname ${0})/functions.sh
-
-log_info "*** Not yet implemented ***"
diff --git a/gitlab/after_docs.sh b/gitlab/after_docs.sh
index cd563fb91dbdc844066e4a4a8d506f28d420cade..73a037624bb88e0aed6b9d09f5c6aa0291b38784 100755
--- a/gitlab/after_docs.sh
+++ b/gitlab/after_docs.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,2 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Thu 22 Sep 2016 18:23:57 CEST
-
-source $(dirname ${0})/functions.sh
-
-log_info "*** Not yet implemented ***"
diff --git a/gitlab/after_test.sh b/gitlab/after_test.sh
index 67a04cb79ada656a7be2d1cf2296f653acf399bb..9f03f60bf4cfab46998e4079c79e9dd29ede2e23 100755
--- a/gitlab/after_test.sh
+++ b/gitlab/after_test.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,2 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Thu 22 Sep 2016 13:59:03 CEST
-
-source $(dirname ${0})/functions.sh
-
-log_info "*** Not yet implemented ***"
diff --git a/gitlab/after_wheels.sh b/gitlab/after_wheels.sh
index cd563fb91dbdc844066e4a4a8d506f28d420cade..73a037624bb88e0aed6b9d09f5c6aa0291b38784 100755
--- a/gitlab/after_wheels.sh
+++ b/gitlab/after_wheels.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,2 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Thu 22 Sep 2016 18:23:57 CEST
-
-source $(dirname ${0})/functions.sh
-
-log_info "*** Not yet implemented ***"
diff --git a/gitlab/before_build.sh b/gitlab/before_build.sh
index 86a45993d6e67a6ab36e16fc3f512f71827c7e39..47538e6c1f528bb46ea18c72d21857978fce26d0 100755
--- a/gitlab/before_build.sh
+++ b/gitlab/before_build.sh
@@ -10,27 +10,15 @@ if [ -z "${WHEELS_REPOSITORY}" ]; then
 fi
 check_env WHEELS_REPOSITORY
 
-# Readies the virtualenv to use for installation
+# Readies a conda environment to use for installation
 if [ ! -d ${PREFIX} ]; then
-  log_info "Creating virtualenv installation at ${PREFIX}..."
-  run_cmd ${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}/bin/virtualenv --system-site-packages ${PREFIX}
+  log_info "Creating conda installation at ${PREFIX}..."
+  run_cmd ${CONDA_FOLDER}/bin/conda create --clone ${CONDA_ENV} --prefix ${PREFIX} --yes
 else
   log_info "Prefix directory ${PREFIX} exists, not re-installing..."
 fi
 
-# Configures CCACHE
-use_ccache=`which ccache`
-if [ -z "${use_ccache}" ]; then
-  log_warn "Cannot find ccache, compiling from scratch..."
-else
-  log_info "ccache installed at ${use_ccache}, caching compilations..."
-  run_cmd ln -sf ${use_ccache} ${PREFIX}/bin/gcc
-  run_cmd ln -sf ${use_ccache} ${PREFIX}/bin/g++
-fi
-
-# Source the newly created virtualenv
-log_info "$ source ${PREFIX}/bin/activate"
-source ${PREFIX}/bin/activate
+prepare_build_env ${CONDA_FOLDER} ${PREFIX}
 
 # Verify where pip is installed
 use_pip=`which pip`
@@ -41,9 +29,6 @@ else
   log_info "Using pip: ${use_pip}"
 fi
 
-# Upgrade wheel generation library to avoid bugs
-run_cmd ${use_pip} install --upgrade setuptools pip wheel
-
 use_python=`which python`
 if [ -z "${use_python}" ]; then
   log_error "Cannot find python, aborting..."
@@ -55,9 +40,15 @@ fi
 # Install this package's build dependencies
 PIPOPTS="--find-links ${WHEELS_REPOSITORY}"
 if [ ! -z "${WHEELS_SERVER}" ]; then
- PIPOPTS="${PIPOPTS} --trusted-host ${WHEELS_SERVER}"
+  PIPOPTS="${PIPOPTS} --trusted-host ${WHEELS_SERVER}"
 fi
-PIPOPTS="${PIPOPTS} --pre --use-wheel --no-index"
+
+# When building a tag, do not use beta wheels
+PIPOPTS="${PIPOPTS} --use-wheel --no-index"
+if [ -z "${CI_BUILD_TAG}" ]; then
+  PIPOPTS="${PIPOPTS} --pre"
+fi
+
 if [ -e requirements.txt ]; then
   run_cmd ${use_pip} install ${PIPOPTS} --requirement requirements.txt
 else
diff --git a/gitlab/before_docs.sh b/gitlab/before_docs.sh
index cd563fb91dbdc844066e4a4a8d506f28d420cade..73a037624bb88e0aed6b9d09f5c6aa0291b38784 100755
--- a/gitlab/before_docs.sh
+++ b/gitlab/before_docs.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,2 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Thu 22 Sep 2016 18:23:57 CEST
-
-source $(dirname ${0})/functions.sh
-
-log_info "*** Not yet implemented ***"
diff --git a/gitlab/before_test.sh b/gitlab/before_test.sh
index 26cd4f692dbd9a09671075409d541100cbca2779..e31bc9dd7bbef54a1a720012f4bebf1fb050b269 100755
--- a/gitlab/before_test.sh
+++ b/gitlab/before_test.sh
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@ source $(dirname ${0})/functions.sh
 
 run_cmd $(dirname ${0})/before_build.sh
 
-# Source the newly created virtualenv
-log_info "$ source ${PREFIX}/bin/activate"
-source ${PREFIX}/bin/activate
+prepare_build_env ${CONDA_FOLDER} ${PREFIX}
 
 # Verify where pip is installed
 use_pip=`which pip`
diff --git a/gitlab/before_wheels.sh b/gitlab/before_wheels.sh
index cd563fb91dbdc844066e4a4a8d506f28d420cade..73a037624bb88e0aed6b9d09f5c6aa0291b38784 100755
--- a/gitlab/before_wheels.sh
+++ b/gitlab/before_wheels.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,2 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Thu 22 Sep 2016 18:23:57 CEST
-
-source $(dirname ${0})/functions.sh
-
-log_info "*** Not yet implemented ***"
diff --git a/gitlab/build.sh b/gitlab/build.sh
index 6d45957122a54ece216884168058bb796aed9c73..fb300c9bd9340c6e40d536223a3f5eb0a86624d2 100755
--- a/gitlab/build.sh
+++ b/gitlab/build.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 source $(dirname ${0})/functions.sh
 
+prepare_build_env ${CONDA_FOLDER} ${PREFIX}
+
 run_cmd ./bin/buildout
 
 if [ -x ./bin/bob_dbmanage.py ]; then
diff --git a/gitlab/functions.sh b/gitlab/functions.sh
index 00fa382e8f2ae6426c75e376ed9f14453b87c680..6eaa8d82a95f392248a59eb42b541344f2129cbc 100644
--- a/gitlab/functions.sh
+++ b/gitlab/functions.sh
@@ -176,6 +176,36 @@ doc_upload() {
 }
 
 
+# Activates environment and sets up compilation
+# $1: root of the conda installation
+# $2: your current build prefix
+prepare_build_env() {
+  # Activates conda environment for the build
+  log_info "$ source $1/bin/activate $2"
+  source $1/bin/activate $2
+
+  # Configures CCACHE
+  # use_ccache=`which ccache`
+  # if [ -z "${use_ccache}" ]; then
+  #   log_warn "Cannot find ccache, compiling from scratch..."
+  # else
+  #   local ccache_bin=$2/lib/ccache
+  #   if [ ! -d ${ccache_bin} ]; then
+  #     run_cmd mkdir -pv ${ccache_bin}
+  #     ln -sf ${use_ccache} ${ccache_bin}/gcc
+  #     ln -sf ${use_ccache} ${ccache_bin}/g++
+  #     ln -sf ${use_ccache} ${ccache_bin}/cc
+  #     ln -sf ${use_ccache} ${ccache_bin}/c++
+  #   fi
+  #   use_gcc=`which gcc`
+  #   PATH=${ccache_bin}:${PATH}
+  #   export_env PATH
+  #   log_info "ccache installed at ${use_ccache}, caching compilations..."
+  #   log_info "gcc installed at ${use_gcc}..."
+  # fi
+}
+
+
 # Checks if an array contains a value
 # taken from here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3685970/check-if-an-array-contains-a-value
 # Parameters: <value-to-check> <array-variable>
@@ -205,49 +235,28 @@ if [ -z "${CONDA_FOLDER}" ]; then
   CONDA_FOLDER=/opt/conda
 fi
 
-if [ -z "${VIRTUALENV_PATH}" ]; then
-  VIRTUALENV_PATH=env
+PYVER=py$(echo ${PYTHON_VERSION} | tr -d '.')
+if [ -z "${CONDA_ENV}" ]; then
+  if [ -d "${CONDA_FOLDER}/envs/bob-devel-${PYVER}-${CI_BUILD_REF_NAME}" ]; then
+    CONDA_ENV=bob-devel-${PYVER}-${CI_BUILD_REF_NAME}
+  else
+    CONDA_ENV=bob-devel-${PYVER}
+  fi
 fi
+BOB_PREFIX_PATH=${CONDA_FOLDER}/envs/${CONDA_ENV}
 
 if [ -z "${DOCSERVER}" ]; then
   DOCSERVER=http://www.idiap.ch
   export_env DOCSERVER
 fi
 
-PREFIX=${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/${VIRTUALENV_PATH}
-
-if [ "${OSNAME}" == "linux" ]; then
-  # Temporary hack to get building done right with gcc-5 compilers
-  if [ -z "${CFLAGS}" ]; then
-    CFLAGS="-D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0"
-  else
-      if [[ "${CFLAGS}" != *-D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0* ]]; then
-        CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0"
-      fi
-  fi
-else #macosx
-  if [ "${CFLAGS}" == *-DBZ_DEBUG* ]; then
-    # -DBZ_DEBUG does not work well with clang
-    CFLAGS=`echo ${CFLAGS} | sed -e s/\s*-DBZ_DEBUG//g`
-  fi
-fi
-CXXFLAGS=${CFLAGS}
-
-PYVER=py$(echo ${PYTHON_VERSION} | tr -d '.')
-if [ -z "${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}" ]; then
-  # Default on stock installations for our CIs
-  BOB_PREFIX_PATH=${CONDA_FOLDER}/envs/bob-devel-${PYVER}
-
-  # Unless, a special environment (to be tested) exists matching the branch
-  if [ -d ${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}-${CI_BUILD_REF_NAME} ]; then
-    BOB_PREFIX_PATH=${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}-${CI_BUILD_REF_NAME}
+if [ -z "{PREFIX}" ]; then
+  PREFIX=${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/build-prefix
+  # In case we're setting-up the prefix, erase it if it exists
+  if [ -d "${PREFIX}" ]; then
+    run_cmd rm -rf ${PREFIX}
   fi
 fi
-LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}/lib
-if [ "${OSNAME}" == "macosx" ]; then
-  DYLD_FALLBACK_LIBRARY_PATH=${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}/lib
-  MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=10.9
-fi
 
 if [ -z "${PYPISERVER}" ]; then
   PYPISERVER="https://pypi.python.org/pypi"
@@ -258,18 +267,12 @@ TESTSERVER=https://testpypi.python.org/pypi
 check_env OSNAME
 check_env PYVER
 check_env PREFIX
-export_env CFLAGS
-export_env CXXFLAGS
+export_env PREFIX
 check_env DOCSERVER
 check_env PYPISERVER
 check_env TESTSERVER
 check_env CONDA_FOLDER
-check_env VIRTUALENV_PATH
-export_env LD_LIBRARY_PATH
-if [ "${OSNAME}" == "macosx" ]; then
-  export_env DYLD_FALLBACK_LIBRARY_PATH
-  export_env MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET
-fi
+check_env CONDA_ENV
 export_env BOB_PREFIX_PATH
 
 if [ -z "${CI_BUILD_TAG}" ]; then
@@ -284,6 +287,3 @@ if [ -z "${CI_BUILD_TAG}" ]; then
 else
   log_info "Building tag, not setting BOB_DOCUMENTATION_SERVER"
 fi
-
-# Activates conda environment
-run_cmd source ${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}/bin/activate `basename ${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}`
diff --git a/gitlab/install.sh b/gitlab/install.sh
index 8adb34b7f3cebf8ad4ab118feaefe90726231282..6b5e27ce8e334475552a00d47d11e42af9ab27a9 100755
--- a/gitlab/install.sh
+++ b/gitlab/install.sh
@@ -3,12 +3,19 @@
 
 # Installation script for our build tools
 
-if [ "${#}" -ne 1 ]; then
-  echo "usage: ${0} <ci-support-directory>"
+if [ "${#}" -eq 0 ]; then
+  echo "usage: ${0} <ci-support-directory> [<branch>]"
   echo "example: ${0} _ci"
+  echo "example: ${0} _ci staging"
   exit 1
 fi
 
+if [ -n "$2" ]; then
+  BRANCH=$2;
+else
+  BRANCH=master;
+fi
+
 
 # Functions for coloring echo commands
 log_info() {
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@ run_cmd() {
 
 
 get_script() {
-  local url="https://gitlab.idiap.ch/bob/bob.admin/raw/master/gitlab/${2}"
+  local url="https://gitlab.idiap.ch/bob/bob.admin/raw/${BRANCH}/gitlab/${2}"
   local curlopt="--location --silent --show-error --output ${1}/${2}"
   if [ -e ${1}/${2} ]; then
     rm -f ${1}/${2}
diff --git a/gitlab/test.sh b/gitlab/test.sh
index 85ac251a22e2d266cfd12bc0d394d4b91c7051d3..4a76151d483f3d59f19945ac802d55b65ed2a990 100755
--- a/gitlab/test.sh
+++ b/gitlab/test.sh
@@ -3,11 +3,28 @@
 
 source $(dirname ${0})/functions.sh
 
+prepare_build_env ${CONDA_FOLDER} ${PREFIX}
+
 run_cmd cd ${PREFIX}
 
+# Checks some programs
+
+use_python=`which python`
+check_env use_python
+
+use_coverage=`which coverage`
+check_env use_coverage
+
+use_nosetests=`which nosetests`
+check_env use_nosetests
+
+use_sphinx=`which sphinx-build`
+check_env use_sphinx
+
 # The tests:
-run_cmd ${PREFIX}/bin/python ${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}/bin/coverage run --source=${CI_PROJECT_NAME} ${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}/bin/nosetests -sv ${CI_PROJECT_NAME}
-run_cmd ${PREFIX}/bin/python ${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}/bin/coverage report
-run_cmd ${PREFIX}/bin/python ${BOB_PREFIX_PATH}/bin/sphinx-build -b doctest ${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/doc ${CI_PROJECT_NAME}/sphinx
+
+run_cmd ${use_coverage} run --source=${CI_PROJECT_NAME} ${use_nosetests} -sv ${CI_PROJECT_NAME}
+run_cmd ${use_coverage} report
+run_cmd ${use_sphinx} -b doctest ${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/doc ${CI_PROJECT_NAME}/sphinx
 
 run_cmd cd ${CI_PROJECT_DIR}