diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index ffc26ba3df3c1b3c19302d5ad593388807d3f42b..f9fbe64ab8338b0f3bdab417af2b45b914595451 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ test_PyWake_windows:  # name the job what we like
   stage:  # build, test, deploy defined by default [2]
     test
   script:  # runs on windows machine due to tag below
-  - source activate py38_2
+  - conda init powershell
+  - "if (test-path $PROFILE.CurrentUserAllHosts) { & $PROFILE.CurrentUserAllHosts}"
+  - conda activate py38_2
   - pip install -e .[test]
   - pytest --cov-report term-missing:skip-covered --cov=py_wake --cov-config .coveragerc
   tags:  # tag for shared runner on windows machine