diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index e9a05416eb..83b68eeee0 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -103,8 +103,9 @@ fedora-x86_64:
             ${FEATURE_FLAGS}
             _build
     - meson compile -C _build
-    - .gitlab-ci/run-tests.sh _build wayland_gl gtk:gdk,gtk:gsk
-    - .gitlab-ci/run-tests.sh _build wayland_gles2 gtk:gdk,gtk:gsk
+    # only run tests that are likely affected by test setups
+    - .gitlab-ci/run-tests.sh _build wayland_gl gtk:gdk,gtk:gsk-gl
+    - .gitlab-ci/run-tests.sh _build wayland_gles2 gtk:gdk,gtk:gsk-gl
 
 release-build:
   extends: .build-fedora-default
@@ -129,8 +130,9 @@ release-build:
     - meson install -C _build
     - PKG_CONFIG_PATH=${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/_install/lib64/pkgconfig:${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/_install/share/pkgconfig meson setup _build_hello examples/hello
     - LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/_install/lib64 meson compile -C _build_hello
+    #  this is our full test run with the default setup
     - .gitlab-ci/run-tests.sh _build wayland gtk:gtk
-    - .gitlab-ci/run-tests.sh _build x11 gtk:gtk
+    - .gitlab-ci/run-tests.sh _build x11 gtk:gdk,gtk:gsk-gl
 
 fedora-clang:
   extends: .build-fedora-default