diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 23f1a16d8d..96006f8c8c 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,18 @@ stages:
   - deploy
 
 before_script:
+  # add gitlab ssh key
+  - mkdir -p ~/.ssh
+  - chmod 700 ~/.ssh
+  - echo -n $GITLAB_KEY >> ~/.ssh/id_rsa_base64
+  - base64 --decode --ignore-garbage ~/.ssh/id_rsa_base64 > ~/.ssh/id_rsa
+  - chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
+  - echo -e "Host gitlab.espressif.cn\n\tStrictHostKeyChecking no\n" >> ~/.ssh/config
+
+  # if testing master branch, use github wifi libs.
+  # if testing other branches, use gitlab wifi libs (as maybe changes aren't merged to master yet)
+  - test "${CI_BUILD_REF_NAME}" = "master" || sed -i "s%https://github.com/espressif/esp32-wifi-lib%ssh://git@gitlab.espressif.cn:27227/idf/esp32-wifi-lib%" .gitmodules
+  # fetch all submodules
   - git submodule update --init --recursive
 
 build_template_app:
@@ -39,15 +51,6 @@ build_template_app:
     IDF_PATH: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR"
     GIT_STRATEGY: clone
 
-  # add gitlab key to build docker
-  before_script:
-    - mkdir -p ~/.ssh
-    - chmod 700 ~/.ssh
-    - echo -n $GITLAB_KEY >> ~/.ssh/id_rsa_base64
-    - base64 --decode --ignore-garbage ~/.ssh/id_rsa_base64 > ~/.ssh/id_rsa
-    - chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
-    - echo -e "Host gitlab.espressif.cn\n\tStrictHostKeyChecking no\n" >> ~/.ssh/config
-
 build_ssc:
   <<: *build_template
   artifacts:
@@ -59,17 +62,12 @@ build_ssc:
     expire_in: 6 mos
 
   script:
-    # use gitlab wifi lib instead of github wifi lib
-    - git clone ssh://git@gitlab.espressif.cn:27227/idf/esp32-wifi-lib.git
-    - cp esp32-wifi-lib/* components/esp32/lib/
     - git clone ssh://git@gitlab.espressif.cn:27227/yinling/SSC.git
     - cd SSC
     - make defconfig
     - chmod +x gen_misc_ng.sh
     - ./gen_misc_ng.sh
 
-
-
 test_nvs_on_host:
   stage: test
   image: espressif/esp32-ci-env