diff --git a/.gitpod.yml b/.gitpod.yml
index a8b0083fe..875a2ec77 100644
--- a/.gitpod.yml
+++ b/.gitpod.yml
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ tasks:
     make -j $(nproc) && sudo make install
     gp sync-done kddw-installed
 
+- name: aditional checking tools
+  init: |
+    gem install mdl
+
 - name: actual building and running of hotspot
   init: |
     mkdir -p build
@@ -54,6 +58,10 @@ tasks:
     export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="/opt/qt515/lib:/opt/qt515/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu"
     cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/KDAB ..
     make -j $(nproc)
+  before: |   # necessary when re-running the workspace
+    export PATH="/opt/bin:/opt/qt515/bin:${PATH}"
+    export PKG_CONFIG_PATH="/opt/qt515/lib/pkgconfig:${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}"
+    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="/opt/qt515/lib:/opt/qt515/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu"
   command: /workspace/hotspot/build/bin/hotspot /workspace/hotspot/tests/integrationtests/custom_cost_aggregation_testfiles/custom_cost_aggregation.perfparser
 
 # some config to ease working in the browser