diff --git a/.ci/gcc-9/Dockerfile b/.ci/gcc-9/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c4a0eb09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/gcc-9/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+FROM ubuntu:20.04
+
+# wget needs recommends
+RUN apt-get update \
+    && apt-get install -y software-properties-common \
+    && add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test -y \
+    && add-apt-repository ppa:beineri/opt-qt-5.15.2-focal -y \
+    && apt-get update && apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends build-essential ninja-build qt515base qt515declarative qt515tools qt515multimedia qt515script qt515quickcontrols2 qt515svg liblmdb-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libssl-dev git ccache pkg-config libsecret-1-dev cmake python3-pip \
+    && apt-get -y install wget \
+    && pip3 install meson \
+    && /usr/sbin/update-ccache-symlinks \
+		&& apt-get clean
+
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 36253e1c..d6092dce 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -4,28 +4,64 @@ variables:
   # prevent configure tzdata hanging apt install commands
   DEBIAN_FRONTEND: noninteractive
 
-build-gcc9:
-  stage: build
-  image: ubuntu:20.04
+stages:
+  - prepare
+  - build
+  - deploy
+
+prepare-gcc9-image:
+  stage: prepare
+  image:
+    name: gcr.io/kaniko-project/executor:debug
+    entrypoint: [""]
   tags: [docker]
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH
+      changes:
+        - .ci/gcc-9/Dockerfile
+  script:
+    - mkdir -p /kaniko/.docker
+    - echo "{\"auths\":{\"$CI_REGISTRY\":{\"username\":\"$CI_REGISTRY_USER\",\"password\":\"$CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD\"}}}" > /kaniko/.docker/config.json
+    - /kaniko/executor --whitelist-var-run=false --context $CI_PROJECT_DIR/.ci/gcc-9 --dockerfile $CI_PROJECT_DIR/.ci/gcc-9/Dockerfile --destination $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/gcc-9:latest
+
+build-gcc9-meson:
+  stage: build
+  image: $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/gcc-9:latest
+  tags: [docker]
+  needs:
+    - job: prepare-gcc9-image
+      optional: true
+  variables:
+    QT_PKG: 515
+    TRAVIS_OS_NAME: linux
+  before_script:
+    - . "/opt/qt${QT_PKG}/bin/qt${QT_PKG}-env.sh" || true
+  script:
+    - meson setup builddir
+    - meson compile -C builddir
+  cache:
+    key: "$CI_JOB_NAME"
+    paths:
+      - .ccache
+      - subprojects/packagecache/
+
+build-gcc9:
+  stage: build
+  image: $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/gcc-9:latest
+  tags: [docker]
+  needs:
+    - job: prepare-gcc9-image
+      optional: true
   variables:
     QT_PKG: 515
     TRAVIS_OS_NAME: linux
   before_script:
-    - apt-get update
-    - apt-get install -y software-properties-common
-    - add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test -y
-    - add-apt-repository ppa:beineri/opt-qt-5.15.2-focal -y
-    - apt-get update && apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends build-essential ninja-build qt${QT_PKG}{base,declarative,tools,multimedia,script,quickcontrols2,svg} liblmdb-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libssl-dev git ccache pkg-config libsecret-1-dev cmake
-    # need recommended deps for wget
-    - apt-get -y install wget
-    - /usr/sbin/update-ccache-symlinks
     - wget https://github.com/Kitware/CMake/releases/download/v3.19.0/cmake-3.19.0-Linux-x86_64.sh && sh cmake-3.19.0-Linux-x86_64.sh  --skip-license  --prefix=/usr/local
     - rm -rf ../.hunter &&  mv .hunter ../.hunter || true
+    - . "/opt/qt${QT_PKG}/bin/qt${QT_PKG}-env.sh" || true
   script:
     - export PATH="/usr/local/bin/:/usr/lib/ccache:${PATH}"
     - export CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL=$(cat /proc/cpuinfo | awk '/^processor/{print $3}' | wc -l)
-    - . "/opt/qt${QT_PKG}/bin/qt${QT_PKG}-env.sh" || true
     - cmake -GNinja -H. -Bbuild
         -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=.deps/usr
         -DHUNTER_ROOT="../.hunter"
@@ -50,6 +86,7 @@ build-macos:
     #- brew reinstall --force python3
     #- brew bundle --file=./.ci/macos/Brewfile --force --cleanup
     - rm -rf ../.hunter &&  mv .hunter ../.hunter || true
+  needs: []
   script:
     - export PATH=/usr/local/opt/qt@5/bin/:${PATH}
     - export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/usr/local/opt/qt@5
@@ -105,6 +142,7 @@ build-flatpak-amd64:
   image: ubuntu:latest
   #image: 'registry.gitlab.gnome.org/gnome/gnome-runtime-images/gnome:master'
   tags: [docker]
+  needs: []
   before_script:
     # need flatpak 1.11.1 at least
     - apt-get update && apt-get install -y software-properties-common
@@ -135,6 +173,7 @@ build-flatpak-arm64:
   image: ubuntu:latest
   #image: 'registry.gitlab.gnome.org/gnome/gnome-runtime-images/gnome:master'
   tags: [docker-arm64]
+  needs: []
   before_script:
     # need flatpak 1.11.1 at least
     - apt-get update && apt-get install -y software-properties-common
@@ -164,6 +203,7 @@ linting:
   stage: build
   image: alpine:latest
   tags: [docker]
+  needs: []
   before_script:
     - apk update && apk add clang-extra-tools make git python3 py3-pip
     - export PATH="$PATH:/root/.local/bin"