diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index c2bfdc136..b00ad77de 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -175,11 +175,11 @@ build:
   before_script:
     - .gitlab-ci/checkout-mutter.sh
     - meson mutter mutter/build --prefix=/usr
-    - meson install -C mutter/build
+    - sudo meson install -C mutter/build
   script:
     - meson setup . build -Dbuildtype=debugoptimized -Dman=false --werror --fatal-meson-warnings
     - meson compile -C build
-    - meson install -C build
+    - sudo meson install -C build
   artifacts:
     expire_in: 1 day
     paths:
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ test:
     XDG_RUNTIME_DIR: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/runtime-dir"
     NO_AT_BRIDGE: "1"
   before_script:
-    - meson install -C mutter/build
+    - sudo meson install -C mutter/build
     - mkdir -m 700 $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
   script:
     - dbus-run-session -- xvfb-run meson test -C build --no-rebuild
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ test-coverity:
   variables:
     GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: normal
   before_script:
-    - meson install -C mutter/build
+    - sudo meson install -C mutter/build
   script:
     - .gitlab-ci/download-coverity-tarball.sh
     - CC=clang meson coverity-build -Dman=false
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ dist:
   stage: deploy
   needs: ["build"]
   before_script:
-    - meson install -C mutter/build
+    - sudo meson install -C mutter/build
     - mkdir -m 700 $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
   script:
     - dbus-run-session xvfb-run meson dist -C build