diff --git a/.gitlab/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 48bbd3b89..7855b62fd 100644
--- a/.gitlab/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ include:
 variables:
   GOVERSION: "1.16.10"
 
-
 stages:
   - lint
   - test
@@ -226,6 +225,7 @@ smoke test:
     AWS_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY: $AWS_FBCI_SSH_KEY
     AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: $AWS_FBCI_ACCESS_KEY_ID
     AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: $AWS_FBCI_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
+    TF_VAR_cluster_prefix: ""
   rules:
     - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "push"'
   before_script:
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ smoke test:
     - wget https://go.dev/dl/go1.17.5.linux-amd64.tar.gz
     - tar -C /usr/local -xzf go1.17.5.linux-amd64.tar.gz
     - export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
-    - export TF_VAR_cluster_prefix="smoke-$(openssl rand -base64 12 | tr -d /=+ | cut -c -16)"
+    - TF_VAR_cluster_prefix="smoke-$(openssl rand -base64 12 | tr -d /=+ | cut -c -16)"
   script:
     - ./qa/scripts/setupSmokeTest.sh
     - ./qa/scripts/testSmokeTest.sh