diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 7407067446f739c244d79501beb3ffa96c7c2c33..58609d18d027b65101dae2689f49b2e6d1c6ce36 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ before_script:
   - chmod 700 ~/.ssh
   - ssh-keyscan bwunicluster.scc.kit.edu > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
   - chmod 644 ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+  - sudo apt-get install sshpass
+  - echo $SSH_PASSPHRASE
+  - sshpass -p $SSH_PASSPHRASE ssh user@hostname
   - ssh $USER_NAME "pwd"