diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 319bd66..8a5e066 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -55,9 +55,16 @@ sync_repos:
         - sync/repos.csv
 
 .scripts_base: &scripts_base
-  # load nix environment
+  # load nix environment, enter dev shell, load cache and
   - . "$HOME/.nix-profile/etc/profile.d/nix.sh"
-  - nix --extra-experimental-features 'nix-command flakes'  profile install nixpkgs#colmena
+  # load teh dev shell so pipeline uses same binaries as devs
+  - nix --extra-experimental-features 'nix-command flakes' develop
+  # setup the cache
+  - attic login skynet https://nix-cache.skynet.ie/ $CACHE_KEY
+  - attic use skynet-cache
+  - attic watch-store skynet-cache &
+  # push all everything from the current system into cache (if its not already cached)
+  - attic push skynet-cache /run/current-system
 
 .scripts_deploy: &scripts_deploy
   # setup ssh key
@@ -66,18 +73,12 @@ sync_repos:
   - mkdir -p ~/.ssh
   - chmod 700 ~/.ssh
 
-.scripts_cache: &scripts_cache
-  - nix --extra-experimental-features 'nix-command flakes'  profile install nixpkgs#attic-client
-  - attic login skynet https://nix-cache.skynet.ie/ $CACHE_KEY
-  - attic use skynet-cache
-
 # every commit on main will build and deploy
 .build_template: &builder
   tags:
     - nix
   before_script:
     - *scripts_base
-    - *scripts_cache
   rules:
     - if: $UPDATE_FLAKE == "yes"
       when: never
@@ -94,7 +95,6 @@ sync_repos:
   before_script:
     - *scripts_deploy
     - *scripts_base
-    - *scripts_cache
   rules:
     - if: $UPDATE_FLAKE == "yes"
       when: never
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ build:
   <<: *builder
   stage: test
   script:
-    - attic watch-store skynet-cache &
     - colmena build -v --on @active-dns
     - colmena build -v --on @active-core
     - colmena build -v --on @active