diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 16b18a7678..77bfe47eef 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ build_template_app:
     - build
   variables:
     BATCH_BUILD: "1"
-    IDF_CI_BUILD: "1"
   only:
     variables:
       - $BOT_TRIGGER_WITH_LABEL == null
@@ -246,7 +245,6 @@ build_esp_idf_tests_cmake:
       - $LOG_PATH
     expire_in: 2 days
   variables:
-    IDF_CI_BUILD: "1"
     LOG_PATH: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/log_examples_make"
   only:
     variables:
@@ -279,7 +277,6 @@ build_esp_idf_tests_cmake:
       - $LOG_PATH
     expire_in: 2 days
   variables:
-    IDF_CI_BUILD: "1"
     LOG_PATH: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/log_examples_cmake"
   only:
     variables:
diff --git a/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/main/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/main/CMakeLists.txt
index 67b51b9f54..807ad6ea0f 100644
--- a/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/main/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/main/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,23 +6,6 @@ register_component()
 
 if(CONFIG_EXAMPLE_EMBEDDED_CERTS)
 target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "certs/aws-root-ca.pem" TEXT)
-
-if(NOT IDF_CI_BUILD)
-    add_custom_command(OUTPUT certs/certificate.pem.crt certs/private.pem.key
-                        COMMAND echo "Dummy certificate data for continuous integration" >
-                                certs/certificate.pem.crt
-                        COMMAND echo "Dummy certificate data for continuous integration" >
-                                certs/private.pem.key
-                        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
-                        VERBATIM)
-    add_custom_target(example_certificates DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/certs/certificate.pem.crt ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/certs/private.pem.key)
-    
-    add_dependencies(${COMPONENT_TARGET} example_certificates)
-    
-    target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/certs/certificate.pem.crt" TEXT)
-    target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/certs/private.pem.key" TEXT)
-else()
-    target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "certs/certificate.pem.crt" TEXT)
-    target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "certs/private.pem.key" TEXT) 
+target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "certs/certificate.pem.crt" TEXT)
+target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "certs/private.pem.key" TEXT)
 endif()
-endif()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/main/component.mk b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/main/component.mk
index bc11b63933..401de47a5d 100644
--- a/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/main/component.mk
+++ b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/main/component.mk
@@ -7,16 +7,8 @@ ifdef CONFIG_EXAMPLE_EMBEDDED_CERTS
 # from AWS, see README for details.
 COMPONENT_EMBED_TXTFILES := certs/aws-root-ca.pem certs/certificate.pem.crt certs/private.pem.key
 
-ifndef IDF_CI_BUILD
 # Print an error if the certificate/key files are missing
 $(COMPONENT_PATH)/certs/certificate.pem.crt $(COMPONENT_PATH)/certs/private.pem.key:
 	@echo "Missing PEM file $@. This file identifies the ESP32 to AWS for the example, see README for details."
 	exit 1
-else  # IDF_CI_BUILD
-# this case is for the internal Continuous Integration build which
-# compiles all examples. Add some dummy certs so the example can
-# compile (even though it won't work)
-$(COMPONENT_PATH)/certs/certificate.pem.crt $(COMPONENT_PATH)/certs/private.pem.key:
-	echo "Dummy certificate data for continuous integration" > $@
-endif
 endif
diff --git a/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/sdkconfig.ci b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/sdkconfig.ci
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b59dfb8704
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/subscribe_publish/sdkconfig.ci
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# For CI build example assuming certificates stored on sdcard
+CONFIG_EXAMPLE_SDCARD_CERTS=y
diff --git a/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/main/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/main/CMakeLists.txt
index 0fcad6405c..f97a426c6d 100644
--- a/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/main/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/main/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,23 +6,6 @@ register_component()
 
 if(CONFIG_EXAMPLE_EMBEDDED_CERTS)
 target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "certs/aws-root-ca.pem" TEXT)
-
-if(NOT IDF_CI_BUILD)
-    add_custom_command(OUTPUT certs/certificate.pem.crt certs/private.pem.key
-                        COMMAND echo "Dummy certificate data for continuous integration" >
-                                certs/certificate.pem.crt
-                        COMMAND echo "Dummy certificate data for continuous integration" >
-                                certs/private.pem.key
-                        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
-                        VERBATIM)
-    add_custom_target(example_certificates DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/certs/certificate.pem.crt ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/certs/private.pem.key)
-    
-    add_dependencies(${COMPONENT_TARGET} example_certificates)
-    
-    target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/certs/certificate.pem.crt" TEXT)
-    target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/certs/private.pem.key" TEXT)
-else()
-    target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "certs/certificate.pem.crt" TEXT)
-    target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "certs/private.pem.key" TEXT) 
+target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "certs/certificate.pem.crt" TEXT)
+target_add_binary_data(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "certs/private.pem.key" TEXT)
 endif()
-endif()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/main/component.mk b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/main/component.mk
index bc11b63933..401de47a5d 100644
--- a/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/main/component.mk
+++ b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/main/component.mk
@@ -7,16 +7,8 @@ ifdef CONFIG_EXAMPLE_EMBEDDED_CERTS
 # from AWS, see README for details.
 COMPONENT_EMBED_TXTFILES := certs/aws-root-ca.pem certs/certificate.pem.crt certs/private.pem.key
 
-ifndef IDF_CI_BUILD
 # Print an error if the certificate/key files are missing
 $(COMPONENT_PATH)/certs/certificate.pem.crt $(COMPONENT_PATH)/certs/private.pem.key:
 	@echo "Missing PEM file $@. This file identifies the ESP32 to AWS for the example, see README for details."
 	exit 1
-else  # IDF_CI_BUILD
-# this case is for the internal Continuous Integration build which
-# compiles all examples. Add some dummy certs so the example can
-# compile (even though it won't work)
-$(COMPONENT_PATH)/certs/certificate.pem.crt $(COMPONENT_PATH)/certs/private.pem.key:
-	echo "Dummy certificate data for continuous integration" > $@
-endif
 endif
diff --git a/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/sdkconfig.ci b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/sdkconfig.ci
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b59dfb8704
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/protocols/aws_iot/thing_shadow/sdkconfig.ci
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# For CI build example assuming certificates stored on sdcard
+CONFIG_EXAMPLE_SDCARD_CERTS=y