diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index c3e941b44fbaf1437511732edab56d41cd35f4cf..d30fc623dfcd0b232c98b18ece841d3250a21a18 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ variables:
   GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: recursive
   STACKNAME: CICD_reporef$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME
   NECTAR_ALLOCATION: HPCCICD
+  ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING: "False"
 
 stages:
 #  - integration_test_downstream # working but unwanted here