diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a1ecb97..f463e6a 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -59,13 +59,14 @@ load_vars:
   stage: pre
   script:
     - echo "Loading variables from vars.yml..."
-    - cat /ci/vars.env >> build.env
+    - cat /ci/my_branch.env >> build.env
   artifacts:
     reports:
       dotenv: build.env
 
 formatter:
   stage: Formatter
+  needs: ["load_vars"]
   before_script:
     - ""
   script:
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ formatter:
 
 pylint:
   stage: Formatter
+  needs: ["load_vars"]
   script:
     - pip install pylint pylint-exit anybadge
     - mkdir ./pylint
@@ -96,7 +98,7 @@ pylint:
 
 pylint-check:
   stage: Formatter
-  needs: []
+  needs: ["load_vars"]
   allow_failure: true
   before_script:
     - pip install pylint pylint-exit anybadge
@@ -137,6 +139,7 @@ secret_detection:
 
 pytest:
   stage: test
+  needs: ["load_vars"]
   script:
     - pip install coverage
     - coverage run --source=./ophyd_devices -m pytest -v --junitxml=report.xml --random-order --full-trace ./tests
@@ -153,6 +156,7 @@ pytest:
 
 config_test:
   stage: test
+  needs: ["load_vars"]
   script:
     - ophyd_test --config ./ophyd_devices/configs/ --output ./config_tests
   artifacts:
@@ -169,6 +173,7 @@ tests-3.11:
       optional: true
     - job: "pylint"
       optional: true
+    - job: "load_vars"
   image: $CI_DEPENDENCY_PROXY_GROUP_IMAGE_PREFIX/python:3.11
   script:
     - pytest -v --random-order ./tests
@@ -182,6 +187,7 @@ tests-3.12:
   allow_failure: true
 
 trigger_bec:
+  needs: ["load_vars"]
   trigger:
     project: bec/bec
     strategy: depend
@@ -205,7 +211,7 @@ trigger:
       - CHILD_PROJECT: xtreme_bec
         CHILD_PIPELINE_BRANCH: $XTREME_BEC_BRANCH             
 
-  needs: []
+  needs: ["load_vars"]
   trigger:
     strategy: depend
     include:
@@ -225,7 +231,7 @@ trigger:
 
 semver:
   stage: Deploy
-  needs: ["pytest"]
+  needs: ["pytest", "load_vars"]
   script:
     - git config --global user.name "ci_update_bot"
     - git config --global user.email "ci_update_bot@bec.ch"