diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 54e70968a..2b4d7a3e6 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ linux-stable:
   script:
     - rustup default stable
     # ARGUMENTS: 1. BUILD_PLATFORM (target for binaries) 2. PLATFORM (target for cargo) 3. ARC (architecture) 4. & 5. CC & CXX flags
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu amd64
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu amd64 "" ""
   tags:
     - rust-stable
   artifacts:
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ linux-stable-debian:
     - triggers
   script:
     - export LIBSSL="libssl1.1.0 (>=1.1.0)"
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-unknown-debian-gnu x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu amd64
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-unknown-debian-gnu x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu amd64 "" ""
   tags:
     - rust-debian
   artifacts:
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ linux-beta:
     - stable
     - triggers
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh rust-beta x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh rust-beta x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu "" "" ""
   tags:
     - rust-beta
   artifacts:
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ linux-nightly:
     - stable
     - triggers
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh rust-nightly x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh rust-nightly x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu "" "" ""
   tags:
     - rust-nightly
   artifacts:
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ linux-centos:
     - stable
     - triggers
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-unknown-centos-gnu x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-unknown-centos-gnu x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu "" "" ""
   tags:
     - rust-centos
   artifacts:
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ linux-i686:
     - stable
     - triggers
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh i686-unknown-linux-gnu i686-unknown-linux-gnu i386
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh i686-unknown-linux-gnu i686-unknown-linux-gnu i386 "" ""
   tags:
     - rust-i686
   artifacts:
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ linux-armv7:
     - stable
     - triggers
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh armv7-unknown-linux-gnueabihf armv7-unknown-linux-gnueabihf armhf arm-linux-gnueabihf-gcc arm-linux-gnueabihf-g++
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh armv7-unknown-linux-gnueabihf armv7-unknown-linux-gnueabihf armhf arm-linux-gnueabihf-gcc arm-linux-gnueabihf-g++
   tags:
     - rust-arm
   artifacts:
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ linux-arm:
     - stable
     - triggers
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh arm-unknown-linux-gnueabihf arm-unknown-linux-gnueabihf armhf arm-linux-gnueabihf-gcc arm-linux-gnueabihf-g++
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh arm-unknown-linux-gnueabihf arm-unknown-linux-gnueabihf armhf arm-linux-gnueabihf-gcc arm-linux-gnueabihf-g++
   tags:
     - rust-arm
   artifacts:
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ linux-aarch64:
     - stable
     - triggers
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu arm64 aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc aarch64-linux-gnu-g++
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu arm64 aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc aarch64-linux-gnu-g++
   tags:
     - rust-arm
   artifacts:
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ linux-snap:
     - tags
     - triggers
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-unknown-snap-gnu
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-unknown-snap-gnu "" "" "" ""
   tags:
     - rust-stable
   artifacts:
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ darwin:
     - stable
     - triggers
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-apple-darwin x86_64-apple-darwin macos
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-apple-darwin x86_64-apple-darwin macos "" ""
   tags:
     - osx
   artifacts:
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ windows:
     - stable
     - triggers
   script:
-    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
+    - scripts/gitlab-build.sh x86_64-pc-windows-msvc "" "" "" "" ""
   tags:
    - rust-windows
   artifacts:
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ docker-build:
     - if [ "$CI_BUILD_REF_NAME" == "beta-release" ]; then DOCKER_TAG="latest"; else DOCKER_TAG=$CI_BUILD_REF_NAME; fi
     - echo "Tag:" $DOCKER_TAG
     - docker login -u $Docker_Hub_User_Parity -p $Docker_Hub_Pass_Parity
-    - sh scripts/docker-build.sh $DOCKER_TAG
+    - scripts/docker-build.sh $DOCKER_TAG
     - docker logout
   tags:
     - docker
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ test-coverage:
   only:
     - master
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-test.sh test-coverage
+    - scripts/gitlab-test.sh test-coverage
   tags:
     - kcov
   allow_failure: true
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ test-rust-stable:
   stage: test
   image: parity/rust:gitlab-ci
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-test.sh stable
+    - scripts/gitlab-test.sh stable
   tags:
     - rust-stable
 test-rust-beta:
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ test-rust-beta:
     - master
   image: parity/rust:gitlab-ci
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-test.sh beta
+    - scripts/gitlab-test.sh beta
   tags:
     - rust-beta
   allow_failure: true
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ test-rust-nightly:
     - master
   image: parity/rust:gitlab-ci
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-test.sh nightly
+    - scripts/gitlab-test.sh nightly
   tags:
     - rust
     - rust-nightly
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ js-test:
   stage: test
   image: parity/rust:gitlab-ci
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-test.sh js-test
+    - scripts/gitlab-test.sh js-test
   tags:
     - rust-stable
 js-release:
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ js-release:
     - triggers
   image: parity/rust:gitlab-ci
   script:
-    - sh scripts/gitlab-test.sh js-release
+    - scripts/gitlab-test.sh js-release
   tags:
     - javascript
 push-release:
diff --git a/scripts/gitlab-build.sh b/scripts/gitlab-build.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 94345e32d..84483850d
--- a/scripts/gitlab-build.sh
+++ b/scripts/gitlab-build.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ ARC=$3
 CC=$4
 CXX=$5
 EXT=deb
-VER=$(grep -m 1 version Cargo.toml | awk '{print $3}' | tr -d '"' | tr -d "\n")
+VER="$(grep -m 1 version Cargo.toml | awk '{print $3}' | tr -d '"' | tr -d "\n")"
 echo "--------------------"
 echo "Build for platform: " $BUILD_PLATFORM
 echo "Cargo target:       " $PLATFORM
diff --git a/scripts/gitlab-test.sh b/scripts/gitlab-test.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 4b744252c..07437fc2e
--- a/scripts/gitlab-test.sh
+++ b/scripts/gitlab-test.sh
@@ -2,17 +2,17 @@
 #ARGUMENT test for RUST, JS, COVERAGE or JS_RELEASE
 set -e # fail on any error
 set -u # treat unset variables as error
-export JS_FILES_MODIFIED=$(git --no-pager diff --name-only master...$CI_BUILD_REF | grep ^js/ | wc -l)
-export JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED=$(git --no-pager diff --name-only master...$CI_BUILD_REF | grep ^js-old/ | wc -l)
-export RUST_FILES_MODIFIED=$(git --no-pager diff --name-only master...$CI_BUILD_REF | grep -v -e ^js -e ^\\. -e ^LICENSE -e ^README.md -e ^test.sh -e ^windows/ -e ^scripts/ -e^mac/ -e ^nsis/ | wc -l)
+export JS_FILES_MODIFIED="$(git --no-pager diff --name-only master...$CI_BUILD_REF | grep ^js/ | wc -l)"
+export JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED="$(git --no-pager diff --name-only master...$CI_BUILD_REF | grep ^js-old/ | wc -l)"
+export RUST_FILES_MODIFIED="$(git --no-pager diff --name-only master...$CI_BUILD_REF | grep -v -e ^js -e ^\\. -e ^LICENSE -e ^README.md -e ^test.sh -e ^windows/ -e ^scripts/ -e^mac/ -e ^nsis/ | wc -l)"
 export RUST_BACKTRACE=1
-TEST=$1
+TEST_SWITCH=$1
 rust_test () {
   git submodule update --init --recursive
   rustup show
-  if [ $RUST_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0 ];
+  if [ "${RUST_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0 ];
     then echo "Skipping Rust tests since no Rust files modified.";
-    else ./test.sh $CARGOFLAGS;
+    else ./test.sh;
   fi
   if [ "$CI_BUILD_REF_NAME" == "nightly" ];
     then sh scripts/aura-test.sh;
@@ -20,44 +20,44 @@ rust_test () {
 }
 js_test () {
   git submodule update --init --recursive
-  if [ $JS_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0 ];
+  if [ "${JS_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0 ];
     then echo "Skipping JS deps install since no JS files modified.";
     else ./js/scripts/install-deps.sh;
   fi
-  if [ $JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0  ];
+  if [ "${JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0  ];
     then echo "Skipping JS (old) deps install since no JS files modified.";
     else ./js-old/scripts/install-deps.sh;
   fi
-  if [ $JS_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0 ];
+  if [ "${JS_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0 ];
     then echo "Skipping JS lint since no JS files modified.";
     else ./js/scripts/lint.sh && ./js/scripts/test.sh && ./js/scripts/build.sh;
   fi
-  if [ $JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0 ];
+  if [ "${JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0 ];
     then echo "Skipping JS (old) lint since no JS files modified.";
     else ./js-old/scripts/lint.sh && ./js-old/scripts/test.sh && ./js-old/scripts/build.sh;
   fi
 }
 js_release () {
   rustup default stable
-  echo $JS_FILES_MODIFIED
-  if [ $JS_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0  ];
+  echo "${JS_FILES_MODIFIED}"
+  if [ "${JS_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0  ];
     then echo "Skipping JS deps install since no JS files modified.";
     else ./js/scripts/install-deps.sh;
   fi
-  if [ $JS_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0 ];
+  if [ "${JS_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0 ];
     then echo "Skipping JS rebuild since no JS files modified.";
     else ./js/scripts/build.sh && ./js/scripts/push-precompiled.sh;
   fi
-  echo $JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED
-  if [ $JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0  ];
+  echo "${JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED}"
+  if [ "${JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0  ];
     then echo "Skipping JS (old) deps install since no JS files modified.";
     else ./js-old/scripts/install-deps.sh;
   fi
-  if [ $JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0 ];
+  if [ "${JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0 ];
     then echo "Skipping JS (old) rebuild since no JS files modified.";
     else ./js-old/scripts/build.sh && ./js-old/scripts/push-precompiled.sh;
   fi
-  if [ $JS_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0 ] && [ $JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED -eq 0 ];
+  if [ "${JS_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0 ] && [ "${JS_OLD_FILES_MODIFIED}" -eq 0 ];
     then echo "Skipping Cargo update since no JS files modified.";
     else ./js/scripts/push-cargo.sh;
   fi
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ coverage_test () {
   rm -rf js/.coverage
   scripts/cov.sh
 }
-case TEST in
-  stable)
+case $TEST_SWITCH in
+  stable )
     rustup default stable
     rust_test
     ;;