diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index f1d5ff7bcd49c157e67177547d9a8f77c1beea41..165c7be116ffa949249b8c56342325588de1c7a3 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -250,6 +250,28 @@ FileLicenceCheck:
     FAIRROOTPATH: "$BASE_PATH/fairroot/${FAIRROOT_VERSION}_${FAIRSOFT_VERSION}"
     CONFIGFILE: "/cvmfs/fairsoft.gsi.de/$OS/bin/setup_development_environment.sh"
 
+.apptainer_vae23_variables_apr21: &apptainer_vae23_variables_apr21
+    CONTAINER: "/cvmfs/vae.gsi.de/vae23/containers/user_container-develop.sif"
+    # CONTAINER: "/cvmfs/vae.gsi.de/vae23/containers/vae23-user_container_20230331T1657.sif"
+    OS: vae23
+    FAIRSOFT_VERSION: apr21p2
+    FAIRROOT_VERSION: v18.6.7
+    BASE_PATH: "/cvmfs/fairsoft.gsi.de/debian10/"
+    SIMPATH: "$BASE_PATH/fairsoft/$FAIRSOFT_VERSION"
+    FAIRROOTPATH: "$BASE_PATH/fairroot/${FAIRROOT_VERSION}_fs_${FAIRSOFT_VERSION}"
+    CONFIGFILE: "/cvmfs/cbm.gsi.de/debian10/bin/setup_development_environment.sh"
+
+.apptainer_vae23_variables_nov22p1: &apptainer_vae23_variables_nov22p1
+    CONTAINER: "/cvmfs/vae.gsi.de/vae23/containers/user_container-develop.sif"
+    # CONTAINER: "/cvmfs/vae.gsi.de/vae23/containers/vae23-user_container_20230331T1657.sif"
+    OS: vae23
+    FAIRSOFT_VERSION: nov22p1
+    FAIRROOT_VERSION: v18.8.0
+    BASE_PATH: "/cvmfs/fairsoft.gsi.de/debian10/"
+    SIMPATH: "$BASE_PATH/fairsoft/$FAIRSOFT_VERSION"
+    FAIRROOTPATH: "$BASE_PATH/fairroot/${FAIRROOT_VERSION}_fs_${FAIRSOFT_VERSION}"
+    CONFIGFILE: "/cvmfs/cbm.gsi.de/debian10/bin/setup_development_environment.sh"
+
 .apptainer_debian11_variables_apr21: &apptainer_debian11_variables_apr21
     CONTAINER: "/cvmfs/cbm.gsi.de/containers/debian11_v18.6.7_apr21p2.sif"
     OS: debian11
@@ -409,6 +431,16 @@ CbmRoot_Merge_Apptainer_centos7_nov22p1:
   variables:
     <<: [*mergeRequestVariables, *apptainer_centos7_variables_nov22p1]
 
+CbmRoot_Merge_Apptainer_vae23_apr21:
+  <<: [*apptainer_tag, *check_merge_request, *build_and_test]
+  variables:
+    <<: [*mergeRequestVariables, *apptainer_vae23_variables_apr21]
+
+CbmRoot_Merge_Apptainer_vae23_nov22p1:
+  <<: [*apptainer_tag, *check_merge_request, *build_and_test]
+  variables:
+    <<: [*mergeRequestVariables, *apptainer_vae23_variables_nov22p1]
+
 CbmRoot_Merge_macosx_13_nov22p1:
   <<: [*macosx_tag, *check_merge_request, *build_and_test]
   variables: