diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 02652a791..ea24541b9 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -84,14 +84,15 @@ test:json-api:
 
 build:linux:
   extends: .build
-  image: ubuntu:18.04  # cant use python3.7 image - binary won't run on ubuntu
+  image: ubuntu:16.04
   variables:
     OS: linux
   before_script:
     - apt-get update
     - apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends software-properties-common zip curl build-essential
     - add-apt-repository -y ppa:deadsnakes/ppa
-    - apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends python3.7-dev python3-setuptools python3-wheel
+    - apt-get update
+    - apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends python3.7-dev
     - python3.7 <(curl -q https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py) # make sure we get pip with python3.7
 
 build:mac: