diff --git a/.ci b/.ci
index 5074f92a2..1577d89f1 100755
--- a/.ci
+++ b/.ci
@@ -5,11 +5,14 @@ set -x
 python3 --version
 
 if [[ ! -e /usr/portage/profiles ]]; then
+  mkdir -p /usr/portage/profiles
 	rsync -av -H -A -X --delete-during \
 		"rsync://rsync.at.gentoo.org/gentoo-portage/profiles/" \
 		/usr/portage/profiles || exit 1
 fi
 
+eselect profile  set "default/linux/amd64/17.1/desktop"
+
 export LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8 USERNAME=root ETP_TESTS_NONINTERACTIVE=1
 equo install dev-util/bsdiff || exit 1
 cd /entropy/lib/tests || exit 1