diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 75aa17ef..8f99bb80 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -7,14 +7,14 @@ testsuite:debian:
   script:
     - apt-get -qqy update
     - apt-get -qqy install --no-install-recommends php-dev gcc make libpcre3-dev
-    - make debug
+    - make tests
 
 testsuite:fedora:
   image: fedora
   stage: testsuite
   script:
     - dnf install -y php-devel gcc make pcre-devel
-    - make debug
+    - make tests
 
 testsuite:ubuntu:
   image: ubuntu
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ testsuite:ubuntu:
   script:
     - apt-get -qqy update
     - DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -qqy install --no-install-recommends php-dev gcc make libpcre3-dev php-cgi php-curl php-xml
-    - make debug
+    - make tests
 
 testsuite:alpine:
   image: alpine
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 45208750..695bfc0d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ compile_debug:  ## compile a debug build
 	export CFLAGS="-g3 -ggdb -O1 -g"; cd src; ./configure --enable-snuffleupagus --enable-debug
 	make -C src
 
-debug: compile_debug ## compile and run a debug build
-	sed -i "s/\$$ext_params -d display_errors=0 -r/-d display_errors=0 -r/" src/run-tests.php
+tests: release
 	TEST_PHP_ARGS='-q' REPORT_EXIT_STATUS=1 make -C src test
 
 coverage:  ## compile snuffleugpaus, and run the testsuite with coverage