diff --git a/ci/setup_spack.sh b/ci/setup_spack.sh
index 764a1e0173c00e1eb0d7d4219a36716a6f5d9e71..00f85449e4e086de72a687e5927739b011852fbe 100755
--- a/ci/setup_spack.sh
+++ b/ci/setup_spack.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ git -C spack checkout $SPACK_VERSION
 
 echo "Adding spack system config file"
 
-spack/bin/spack env create ${environment}
+if [ ! -e ${SPACK_SYSTEM_CONFIG_PATH}/spack.yaml ]
+then
+  spack/bin/spack env create ${environment}
+fi
 
 for file in mirrors.yaml packages.yaml concretizer.yaml config.yaml spack.yaml packages_stack.yaml
 do