diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 16131b22a0111c0716754f40f78b857e0b34f8ed..01a93acf7ec5c029ff54e0d4ab6b50074252ed6a 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 before_script:
   # compile swift
   - apt-get update -qq && apt-get install -y -qq hdf5-tools
+  - locate h5cc
   - git clone https://gitlab.cosma.dur.ac.uk/swift/swiftsim.git --single-branch --branch master
   - cd swiftsim
   - ./autogen.sh