diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 5090cb2742621e70930b43d4c2edf0069a49318f..54fa26c80694777705520c24fe856d154df112bc 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ docker_centos_build:
       - ./build/openfpm_numerics/src/numerics
       - ./openfpm_numerics/test
   script:
-    - mkdir -R /root/openfpm_dependencies/openfpm_pdata/base
+    - mkdir -p /root/openfpm_dependencies/openfpm_pdata/base
     - ./build.sh $CI_PROJECT_DIR unused pdata 0 base
   cache:
     key: $CI_COMMIT_REF_SLUG