diff --git a/.ci/build.sh b/.ci/build.sh
index d313e7bfe6..d0b6655fdf 100755
--- a/.ci/build.sh
+++ b/.ci/build.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ IDX_FILE=$ARTIFACTS_FOLDER/idx.txt
 
 YAML_FILE=${LIST}.yaml
 
+# needed for building open_vins
+export ROS_VERSION=1
+
 sudo apt-get -y install dpkg-dev
 
 ARCH=$(dpkg-architecture -qDEB_HOST_ARCH)