diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 9024b010f2616d4b24844db05cd540582eb2c319..d59c9b3fca1e0b8dc51810a66450e4c9f8fd8611 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -14,16 +14,15 @@ variables:
     GIT_CLONE_PATH: /builds/$CI_PROJECT_PATH/FPM_BUILD/fpm # cannot work in /builds/$CI_PROJECT_PATH
 
 stages:
-    - .pre
-    - build
-    - test
+    - build # only 1 stage to avoid exporting artifacts in parent dir (not permitted)
 
-waves:
+build_test:
     <<: *global_tag_def
-    stage: .pre
+    stage: build
     script:
         - printenv | sort
         - cd ..
+        # get waves and build
         - rm -rf waves
         - wget -q https://gitlab.uliege.be/am-dept/waves/-/archive/master/waves-master.tar.bz2
         - tar xf waves-master.tar.bz2
@@ -34,10 +33,17 @@ waves:
         - cd build
         - cmake -Wno-dev -C ../CMake/disable-trilinos.cmake ..
         - make -j $(nproc)
-        - ls ${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/..
+        # build fpm
+        - cd ../../fpm
+        - mkdir build
+        - cd build
+        - cmake -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/../waves -Wno-dev ..
+        - make -j $(nproc)
+        - ctest -j $(nproc) --output-on-failure #--verbose
+    #timeout: 10 hours  # will be available in 12.3
     artifacts:
         paths:
-            - ../waves/
+            - build/
         expire_in: 1 hour
 
 format:
@@ -55,28 +61,13 @@ format:
         expire_in: 1 day
         when: on_failure
     dependencies:
-        - waves
+        - build_test
     allow_failure: true
 
-build:
-    <<: *global_tag_def
-    stage: build
-    script:
-        - ls ${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/..
-        - mkdir build
-        - cd build
-        - cmake -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/../waves -Wno-dev ..
-        - make -j $(nproc)
-    artifacts:
-        paths:
-            - build/
-        expire_in: 1 hour
-    dependencies:
-        - waves
             
 doxygen:
     <<: *global_tag_def
-    stage: test
+    stage: build
     script:
         - cd build
         - make dox
@@ -85,15 +76,5 @@ doxygen:
             - build/doxygen/
         expire_in: 1 day
     dependencies:
-        - build
+        - build_test
 
-ctest:
-    <<: *global_tag_def
-    stage: test
-    script:
-        - ls ${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/..
-        - cd build
-        - ctest -j $(nproc) --output-on-failure #--verbose
-    #timeout: 10 hours  # will be available in 12.3
-    dependencies:
-        - build