diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index d6ff43fb2900130dd254dd9b04752aac41127ad1..b5b0e48966dc0f18aa22869f273ec434ec60b2ad 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -95,9 +95,8 @@ clean install:
 
 upgrade:
   stage: smoke tests
-  needs:
-    - job: pre vars
-      artifacts: true  
+  dependencies:
+    - pre vars
   extends:
     - .k3d
   rules:
@@ -257,9 +256,8 @@ aws/rke2/bigbang up:
   extends:
     - .infra create
     - .bigbang
-  needs:
-    - job: aws/rke2/cluster up
-      artifacts: true
+  dependencies:
+    - aws/rke2/cluster up
   before_script:
     - mkdir -p ~/.kube
     - cp ${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/rke2.yaml ~/.kube/config
@@ -274,10 +272,9 @@ aws/rke2/bigbang test:
   extends:
     - .infra create
     - .bigbang
-  needs:
-    - job: aws/rke2/cluster up
-      artifacts: true
-    - job: aws/rke2/bigbang up
+  dependencies:
+    - aws/rke2/cluster up
+    - aws/rke2/bigbang up
   before_script:
     - mkdir -p ~/.kube
     - cp ${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/rke2.yaml ~/.kube/config
@@ -294,10 +291,9 @@ aws/rke2/bigbang down:
   extends:
     - .infra cleanup
     - .bigbang
-  needs:
-    - job: aws/rke2/cluster up
-      artifacts: true
-    - job: aws/rke2/bigbang test
+  dependencies:
+    - aws/rke2/cluster up
+    - aws/rke2/bigbang test
   before_script:
     - mkdir -p ~/.kube
     - cp ${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/rke2.yaml ~/.kube/config
@@ -312,9 +308,8 @@ aws/rke2/cluster down:
   extends:
     - .infra cleanup
     - .rke2 down
-  needs:
-    - job: aws/rke2/cluster up
-      artifacts: true
-    - job: aws/rke2/bigbang down
+  dependencies:
+    - aws/rke2/cluster up
+    - aws/rke2/bigbang down
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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