diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index f3df9f929..316c2428d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ before_script:
   ANSIBLE_KEEP_REMOTE_FILES: "1"
   ANSIBLE_CONFIG: ./tests/ansible.cfg
   BOOTSTRAP_OS: none
+  DOWNLOAD_LOCALHOST: "false"
+  DOWNLOAD_RUN_ONCE: "false"
   IDEMPOT_CHECK: "false"
   RESET_CHECK: "false"
   UPGRADE_TEST: "false"
@@ -117,8 +119,8 @@ before_script:
       -e cert_management=${CERT_MGMT:-script}
       -e cloud_provider=gce
       -e deploy_netchecker=true
-      -e download_localhost=true
-      -e download_run_once=true
+      -e download_localhost=${DOWNLOAD_LOCALHOST}
+      -e download_run_once=${DOWNLOAD_RUN_ONCE}
       -e etcd_deployment_type=${ETCD_DEPLOYMENT}
       -e kube_network_plugin=${KUBE_NETWORK_PLUGIN}
       -e kubelet_deployment_type=${KUBELET_DEPLOYMENT}
@@ -143,8 +145,8 @@ before_script:
       -e bootstrap_os=${BOOTSTRAP_OS} 
       -e cloud_provider=gce 
       -e deploy_netchecker=true 
-      -e download_localhost=true 
-      -e download_run_once=true 
+      -e download_localhost=${DOWNLOAD_LOCALHOST} 
+      -e download_run_once=${DOWNLOAD_RUN_ONCE} 
       -e etcd_deployment_type=${ETCD_DEPLOYMENT} 
       -e kube_network_plugin=${KUBE_NETWORK_PLUGIN} 
       -e kubelet_deployment_type=${KUBELET_DEPLOYMENT} 
@@ -174,8 +176,8 @@ before_script:
       --private-key=${HOME}/.ssh/id_rsa 
       -e bootstrap_os=${BOOTSTRAP_OS} 
       -e ansible_python_interpreter=${PYPATH} 
-      -e download_run_once=true 
-      -e download_localhost=true 
+      -e download_localhost=${DOWNLOAD_LOCALHOST} 
+      -e download_run_once=${DOWNLOAD_RUN_ONCE} 
       -e deploy_netchecker=true 
       -e resolvconf_mode=${RESOLVCONF_MODE} 
       -e local_release_dir=${PWD}/downloads 
@@ -215,8 +217,8 @@ before_script:
       --private-key=${HOME}/.ssh/id_rsa 
       -e bootstrap_os=${BOOTSTRAP_OS} 
       -e ansible_python_interpreter=${PYPATH} 
-      -e download_run_once=true 
-      -e download_localhost=true 
+      -e download_localhost=${DOWNLOAD_LOCALHOST} 
+      -e download_run_once=${DOWNLOAD_RUN_ONCE} 
       -e deploy_netchecker=true 
       -e resolvconf_mode=${RESOLVCONF_MODE} 
       -e local_release_dir=${PWD}/downloads 
@@ -316,6 +318,8 @@ before_script:
 .centos7_calico_ha_variables: &centos7_calico_ha_variables
 # stage: deploy-gce-special
   KUBE_NETWORK_PLUGIN: calico
+  DOWNLOAD_LOCALHOST: "true"
+  DOWNLOAD_RUN_ONCE: "true"
   CLOUD_IMAGE: centos-7
   CLOUD_REGION: europe-west1-b
   CLUSTER_MODE: ha-scale