diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index f2ac58b2974fd1e131d2df316f38aab53aebc2a9..f9bb8060e1c15785a1765c7fff378279297dc2b9 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -101,8 +101,9 @@ stages:
   # create short test vectors
   - python3 tests/create_short_testvectors.py
   # create references
-  - python3 -m pytest $TEST_SUITE -v --update_ref 1 -m create_ref --create_ref -n auto
-  - python3 -m pytest $TEST_SUITE -v --update_ref 1 -m create_ref_part2 -n auto
+  - exit_code=0
+  - python3 -m pytest $TEST_SUITE -v --update_ref 1 -m create_ref --create_ref -n auto || exit_code=$? 
+  - python3 -m pytest $TEST_SUITE -v --update_ref 1 -m create_ref_part2 -n auto || exit_code=$? # Catch exit code to prevent halt in case this step produces zero tests
 
 
 .update-scripts-repo: &update-scripts-repo