diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index f5a6921dc..eec8750c5 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -442,6 +442,7 @@ end-to-end-core-setup:
     - docker login "${REGISTRY}" -u "${HARBOR_USER}" -p "${HARBOR_DATAFED_GITLAB_CI_REGISTRY}"
     - ./scripts/container_stop.sh -n "core-" -p
     - ./scripts/ci_database_health_check.sh
+    - if [ ! -d "/shared/keys" ]; then mkdir -p "/shared/keys"; fi
     - cat $CI_DATAFED_CORE_PUB_KEY > /shared/keys/datafed-core-key.pub
     - cat $CI_DATAFED_CORE_PRIV_KEY > /shared/keys/datafed-core-key.priv
     - random_string=$(bash -c "cat /dev/urandom | tr -dc 'a-zA-Z0-9' | fold -w "10" | head -n 1")