diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 72d688875fd7..a7abc55a5c6a 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -9,133 +9,108 @@ include:
   - local: '/.gitlab-ci.d/opensbi.yml'
   - local: '/.gitlab-ci.d/containers.yml'
 
-.update_apt_template: &before_script_apt
- before_script:
-  - apt-get update -qq
-  - apt-get install -y -qq git gcc libglib2.0-dev libpixman-1-dev make
-        genisoimage
-  - JOBS=$(expr $(nproc) + 1)
-
-.update_dnf_template: &before_script_dnf
- before_script:
-  - dnf update -y
-  - dnf install -y bzip2 diffutils gcc git genisoimage findutils glib2-devel
-        make python3 perl-podlators perl-Test-Harness pixman-devel zlib-devel
-  - JOBS=$(expr $(nproc) + 1)
+.native_build_job_template: &native_build_job_definition
+  stage: build
+  image: $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/qemu/$IMAGE:latest
+  before_script:
+    - JOBS=$(expr $(nproc) + 1)
+  script:
+    - mkdir build
+    - cd build
+    - if test -n "$TARGETS";
+      then
+        ../configure --enable-werror $CONFIGURE_ARGS --target-list="$TARGETS" ;
+      else
+        ../configure --enable-werror $CONFIGURE_ARGS ;
+      fi
+    - make -j"$JOBS"
+    - make -j"$JOBS" $MAKE_CHECK_ARGS
 
 build-system1:
- stage: build
- image: ubuntu:19.10
- <<: *before_script_apt
- script:
- - apt-get install -y -qq libgtk-3-dev libvte-dev nettle-dev libcacard-dev
-      libusb-dev libvde-dev libspice-protocol-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libvdeplug-dev
- - mkdir build
- - cd build
- - ../configure --enable-werror --target-list="aarch64-softmmu alpha-softmmu
-      cris-softmmu hppa-softmmu lm32-softmmu moxie-softmmu microblazeel-softmmu
-      mips64el-softmmu m68k-softmmu ppc-softmmu riscv64-softmmu sparc-softmmu"
- - make -j"$JOBS"
- - make -j"$JOBS" check
+  <<: *native_build_job_definition
+  variables:
+    IMAGE: ubuntu2004
+    TARGETS: aarch64-softmmu alpha-softmmu cris-softmmu hppa-softmmu lm32-softmmu
+      moxie-softmmu microblazeel-softmmu mips64el-softmmu m68k-softmmu ppc-softmmu
+      riscv64-softmmu sparc-softmmu
+    MAKE_CHECK_ARGS: check
 
 build-system2:
- stage: build
- image: fedora:latest
- <<: *before_script_dnf
- script:
- - yum install -y SDL2-devel libgcrypt-devel brlapi-devel libaio-devel
-       libfdt-devel lzo-devel librdmacm-devel libibverbs-devel libibumad-devel
-       libzstd-devel
- - mkdir build
- - cd build
- - ../configure --enable-werror --target-list="tricore-softmmu unicore32-softmmu
-      microblaze-softmmu mips-softmmu riscv32-softmmu s390x-softmmu sh4-softmmu
-      sparc64-softmmu x86_64-softmmu xtensa-softmmu nios2-softmmu or1k-softmmu"
- - make -j"$JOBS"
- - make -j"$JOBS" check
+  <<: *native_build_job_definition
+  variables:
+    IMAGE: fedora
+    TARGETS: tricore-softmmu unicore32-softmmu microblaze-softmmu mips-softmmu
+      riscv32-softmmu s390x-softmmu sh4-softmmu sparc64-softmmu x86_64-softmmu
+      xtensa-softmmu nios2-softmmu or1k-softmmu
+    MAKE_CHECK_ARGS: check
 
 build-disabled:
- stage: build
- image: fedora:latest
- <<: *before_script_dnf
- script:
- - mkdir build
- - cd build
- - ../configure --enable-werror --disable-rdma --disable-slirp --disable-curl
+  <<: *native_build_job_definition
+  variables:
+    IMAGE: fedora
+    CONFIGURE_ARGS: --disable-rdma --disable-slirp --disable-curl
       --disable-capstone --disable-live-block-migration --disable-glusterfs
       --disable-replication --disable-coroutine-pool --disable-smartcard
       --disable-guest-agent --disable-curses --disable-libxml2 --disable-tpm
       --disable-qom-cast-debug --disable-spice --disable-vhost-vsock
       --disable-vhost-net --disable-vhost-crypto --disable-vhost-user
-      --target-list="i386-softmmu ppc64-softmmu mips64-softmmu i386-linux-user"
- - make -j"$JOBS"
- - make -j"$JOBS" check-qtest SPEED=slow
+    TARGETS: i386-softmmu ppc64-softmmu mips64-softmmu i386-linux-user
+    MAKE_CHECK_ARGS: check-qtest SPEED=slow
 
 build-tcg-disabled:
- stage: build
- image: centos:8
- <<: *before_script_dnf
- script:
- - dnf install -y clang gtk3-devel libusbx-devel libgcrypt-devel
- - mkdir build
- - cd build
- - ../configure --cc=clang --enable-werror --disable-tcg --audio-drv-list=""
- - make -j"$JOBS"
- - make check-unit
- - make check-qapi-schema
- - cd tests/qemu-iotests/
- - ./check -raw 001 002 003 004 005 008 009 010 011 012 021 025 032 033 048
+  <<: *native_build_job_definition
+  variables:
+    IMAGE: centos8
+  script:
+    - mkdir build
+    - cd build
+    - ../configure --disable-tcg --audio-drv-list=""
+    - make -j"$JOBS"
+    - make check-unit
+    - make check-qapi-schema
+    - cd tests/qemu-iotests/
+    - ./check -raw 001 002 003 004 005 008 009 010 011 012 021 025 032 033 048
             052 063 077 086 101 104 106 113 148 150 151 152 157 159 160 163
             170 171 183 184 192 194 197 208 215 221 222 226 227 236 253 277
- - ./check -qcow2 028 051 056 057 058 065 067 068 082 085 091 095 096 102 122
+    - ./check -qcow2 028 051 056 057 058 065 067 068 082 085 091 095 096 102 122
             124 132 139 142 144 145 151 152 155 157 165 194 196 197 200 202
             208 209 215 216 218 222 227 234 246 247 248 250 254 255 257 258
             260 261 262 263 264 270 272 273 277 279
 
 build-user:
- stage: build
- <<: *before_script_apt
- script:
- - mkdir build
- - cd build
- - ../configure --enable-werror --disable-system --disable-guest-agent
-               --disable-capstone --disable-slirp --disable-fdt
- - make -j"$JOBS"
- - make run-tcg-tests-i386-linux-user run-tcg-tests-x86_64-linux-user
+  <<: *native_build_job_definition
+  variables:
+    IMAGE: ubuntu2004
+    CONFIGURE_ARGS: --disable-system --disable-guest-agent
+      --disable-capstone --disable-slirp --disable-fdt
+    MAKE_CHECK_ARGS:  run-tcg-tests-i386-linux-user run-tcg-tests-x86_64-linux-user
 
 build-clang:
- stage: build
- image: fedora:latest
- <<: *before_script_dnf
- script:
- - yum install -y clang SDL2-devel libattr-devel libcap-ng-devel xfsprogs-devel
-       libiscsi-devel libnfs-devel libseccomp-devel gnutls-devel librbd-devel
- - mkdir build
- - cd build
- - ../configure --cc=clang --cxx=clang++ --enable-werror
-      --target-list="alpha-softmmu arm-softmmu m68k-softmmu mips64-softmmu
-                     ppc-softmmu s390x-softmmu x86_64-softmmu arm-linux-user"
- - make -j"$JOBS"
- - make -j"$JOBS" check
+  <<: *native_build_job_definition
+  variables:
+    IMAGE: fedora
+    CONFIGURE_ARGS: --cc=clang --cxx=clang++
+    TARGETS: alpha-softmmu arm-softmmu m68k-softmmu mips64-softmmu
+      ppc-softmmu s390x-softmmu x86_64-softmmu arm-linux-user
+    MAKE_CHECK_ARGS: check
 
 build-tci:
- stage: build
- image: centos:8
- <<: *before_script_dnf
- script:
- - TARGETS="aarch64 alpha arm hppa m68k microblaze moxie ppc64 s390x x86_64"
- - mkdir build
- - cd build
- - ../configure --enable-tcg-interpreter
-      --target-list="$(for tg in $TARGETS; do echo -n ${tg}'-softmmu '; done)"
- - make -j"$JOBS"
- - make run-tcg-tests-x86_64-softmmu
- - make tests/qtest/boot-serial-test tests/qtest/cdrom-test tests/qtest/pxe-test
- - for tg in $TARGETS ; do
-     export QTEST_QEMU_BINARY="${tg}-softmmu/qemu-system-${tg}" ;
-     ./tests/qtest/boot-serial-test || exit 1 ;
-     ./tests/qtest/cdrom-test || exit 1 ;
-   done
- - QTEST_QEMU_BINARY="x86_64-softmmu/qemu-system-x86_64" ./tests/qtest/pxe-test
- - QTEST_QEMU_BINARY="s390x-softmmu/qemu-system-s390x"
-   ./tests/qtest/pxe-test -m slow
+  <<: *native_build_job_definition
+  variables:
+    IMAGE: fedora
+  script:
+    - TARGETS="aarch64 alpha arm hppa m68k microblaze moxie ppc64 s390x x86_64"
+    - mkdir build
+    - cd build
+    - ../configure --enable-tcg-interpreter
+        --target-list="$(for tg in $TARGETS; do echo -n ${tg}'-softmmu '; done)"
+    - make -j"$JOBS"
+    - make run-tcg-tests-x86_64-softmmu
+    - make tests/qtest/boot-serial-test tests/qtest/cdrom-test tests/qtest/pxe-test
+    - for tg in $TARGETS ; do
+        export QTEST_QEMU_BINARY="${tg}-softmmu/qemu-system-${tg}" ;
+        ./tests/qtest/boot-serial-test || exit 1 ;
+        ./tests/qtest/cdrom-test || exit 1 ;
+      done
+    - QTEST_QEMU_BINARY="x86_64-softmmu/qemu-system-x86_64" ./tests/qtest/pxe-test
+    - QTEST_QEMU_BINARY="s390x-softmmu/qemu-system-s390x" ./tests/qtest/pxe-test -m slow
