diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index e3d13032..c0f9c0dd 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ unittests:
     - apt-get update
     - apt-get -y install rsync
     - pip install -r requirements.txt
+    - mkdir -p test_results
     - rsync -avz rsync://casa-rsync.nrao.edu/casa-data/geodetic /build/
   script:
     - pip install pytest pytest-xdist pytest-cov
diff --git a/tests/workflows/test_imaging_rsexecute.py b/tests/workflows/test_imaging_rsexecute.py
index eeade51b..23cbcc35 100644
--- a/tests/workflows/test_imaging_rsexecute.py
+++ b/tests/workflows/test_imaging_rsexecute.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def setUp(self):
         from rascil.data_models.parameters import rascil_path
         self.dir = rascil_path('test_results')
         
-        self.persist = os.getenv("RASCIL_PERSIST", True)
+        self.persist = os.getenv("RASCIL_PERSIST", False)
     
     def tearDown(self):
         rsexecute.close()