diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 24624fa5a7920459ebb6f92eea4c744c7b473c75..b5059274c05d36923bd747a34959ac6139d0d56d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ astrocyte_check:    # Check for astrocyte validity
 
 download-test-data:       # Download the test data if missing
   stage: download
+  needs: []
   tags:
     - vm
   script:
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ download-test-data:       # Download the test data if missing
 
 test-count-human:   # Run cellranger count on the human data
   stage: test
+  needs: ["download-test-data"]
   tags:
     - vm
   before_script:
@@ -48,6 +50,7 @@ test-count-human:   # Run cellranger count on the human data
 
 test-count-barnyard:   # Run cellranger count on the barnyard data
   stage: test
+  needs: ["download-test-data"]
   tags:
     - vm
   before_script: