diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 4ae7d85ef9a7628b9548113d992dbfc4c22dded6..997dd74b79768be014713c52bc97e63001aa4783 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -66,10 +66,9 @@ build_cluster_cicd:
   tags:
   - heat
   before_script:
-    - echo $GC_KEY > gc_key.pem
+    - echo "$GC_KEY" > gc_key.pem
     - chmod 400 gc_key.pem
-    - echo $HPCCICD_openrc
-    - echo $HPCCICD_openrc > ./$NECTAR_ALLOCATION-openrc.sh
+    - echo "$HPCCICD_openrc" > ./$NECTAR_ALLOCATION-openrc.sh
   script:
     - echo "heat stage"
     - source ./$NECTAR_ALLOCATION-openrc.sh