diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index e9f741c..503b621 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -104,14 +104,16 @@ build_and_test_qemu:
     - shiny
   dependencies: []
   variables:
-    PYTHON_VER: 3.6.13
+    PYTHON_VER: 3.7.0
   script:
     - cit_add_ssh_key "${GITLAB_KEY}"
     - git clone "${IDF_REPO}"
     # switch to IDF and setup the right tools
     - $MQTT_PATH/ci/set_idf.sh master
-    - source /opt/pyenv/activate && pyenv global $PYTHON_VER
+    - source /opt/pyenv/activate && pyenv install $PYTHON_VER && pyenv global $PYTHON_VER
     - cd $IDF_PATH && tools/idf_tools.py --non-interactive install && eval "$(tools/idf_tools.py --non-interactive export)"
+    - ./install.sh && source  export.sh
+    - python -m pip install -r $IDF_PATH/tools/ci/python_packages/ttfw_idf/requirements.txt && python -m pip install paho-mqtt
     - $MQTT_PATH/ci/set_mqtt.sh $CI_COMMIT_SHA
     # build publish-connect stress test, setup test parameters
     - cd tools/test_apps/protocols/mqtt/publish_connect_test && cat sdkconfig.qemu | $IDF_PATH/tools/ci/envsubst.py > sdkconfig.defaults && idf.py build