diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 2b091ce22..5ec74908c 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
    services:
        - chill/database:latest
    before_script: 
-       - composer config github-oauth.github.com $GITHUB_TOKEN
+       - if [ -z ${GITHUB_TOKEN+x} ]; then composer config github-oauth.github.com $GITHUB_TOKEN; fi
        - composer install --no-interaction 
        - cp Tests/Fixtures/App/app/config/parameters.gitlab-ci.yml Tests/Fixtures/App/app/config/parameters.yml
        - php Tests/Fixtures/App/app/console.php --env=test cache:warmup
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ test:php-7:
 deploy-packagist:
    stage: deploy
    image: chill/ci-image:php-7
-   before_script: ~
+   before_script: 
+       # test that PACKAGIST USERNAME and PACKAGIST_TOKEN variable are set
+       - if [ -z ${PACKAGIST_USERNAME+x} ]; then echo "Please set PACKAGIST_USERNAME variable"; exit -1;  fi
+       - if [ -z ${PACKAGIST_TOKEN+x} ]; then echo "Please set PACKAGIST_TOKEN variable";  exit -1; fi
    script:
-       - curl -XPOST -H'content-type:application/json' "https://packagist.org/api/update-package?username=$PACKAGIST_USERNAME&apiToken=$PACKAGIST_TOKEN" -d"{\"repository\":{\"url\":\"$CI_PROJECT_PATH.git\"}}"
+       - STATUSCODE=$(curl -XPOST -H'content-type:application/json' "https://packagist.org/api/update-package?username=$PACKAGIST_USERNAME&apiToken=$PACKAGIST_TOKEN" -d"{\"repository\":{\"url\":\"$CI_PROJECT_URL.git\"}}")
+       - if [ $STATUSCODE = "202" ]; then exit 0; else exit $STATUSCODE; fi