diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 6ce81f825747fefed7394c450bc967e52f2e0628..7944e3302f25e51bbaf18a4e824ad5571504f925 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,12 @@ workflow:
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event'
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'schedule'
 
+.get_build_date: &get_build_date
+  - export BUILD_DATE=$(TZ=America/Chicago date +%Y%m%d)
+  - echo BUILD_DATE=${BUILD_DATE}
+
 .update_ansible_repo: &update_ansible_repo
+  - *get_build_date
   - |
     if [ ! -d $CI_PROJECT_DIR/CRI_XCBC ]; then
       git clone https://github.com/uabrc/CRI_XCBC.git
@@ -59,12 +64,10 @@ workflow:
   - export CRI_XCBC_prod=$(git rev-parse --short origin/uab-prod)
   - cd ..
   - export PACKER_IMAGE_HEAD=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
-  - export BUILD_DATE=$(TZ=America/Chicago date +%Y%m%d)
   - echo CRI_XCBC_HEAD=${CRI_XCBC_HEAD} | tee -a $CI_PROJECT_DIR/image.env
   - echo CRI_XCBC_dev=${CRI_XCBC_dev} | tee -a $CI_PROJECT_DIR/image.env
   - echo CRI_XCBC_prod=${CRI_XCBC_prod} | tee -a $CI_PROJECT_DIR/image.env
   - echo PACKER_IMAGE_HEAD=${PACKER_IMAGE_HEAD} | tee -a $CI_PROJECT_DIR/image.env
-  - echo BUILD_DATE=${BUILD_DATE} | tee -a $CI_PROJECT_DIR/image.env
 
 build_docker_image:
   image: docker:20.10.17
@@ -74,7 +77,7 @@ build_docker_image:
   tags:
     - dind
   before_script:
-    - export BUILD_DATE=$(TZ=America/Chicago date +%Y%m%d)
+    - *get_build_date
     - docker login -u $CI_REGISTRY_USER -p $CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD $CI_REGISTRY
   script:
     - docker build -t $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:$BUILD_DATE -t $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:latest .
@@ -97,8 +100,8 @@ build_base_image:
   tags:
     - build
   script:
+    - *get_build_date
     - export REPO_HEAD=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
-    - export BUILD_DATE=$(TZ=America/Chicago date +%Y%m%d)
     - export PKR_VAR_flavor="m1.medium"
     - export PKR_VAR_build_instance_name="base-${REPO_HEAD}"
     - export PKR_VAR_image_date_suffix=false
@@ -126,7 +129,6 @@ build_compute_image:
     - *update_ansible_repo
     - export PKR_VAR_source_image=${BUILT_BASE_IMAGE_ID}
     - export REPO_HEAD=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
-    - export BUILD_DATE=$(TZ=America/Chicago date +%Y%m%d)
     - export PKR_VAR_flavor="m1.medium"
     - export PKR_VAR_build_instance_name="compute-${REPO_HEAD}"
     - export PKR_VAR_image_date_suffix=false
@@ -148,7 +150,6 @@ build_gpu_image:
     - *update_ansible_repo
     - export PKR_VAR_source_image=${BUILT_BASE_IMAGE_ID}
     - export REPO_HEAD=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
-    - export BUILD_DATE=$(TZ=America/Chicago date +%Y%m%d)
     - export PKR_VAR_flavor="gpu1.medium"
     - export PKR_VAR_build_instance_name="gpu-${REPO_HEAD}"
     - export PKR_VAR_image_date_suffix=false