diff --git a/circle.yml b/circle.yml
index 90468d67f..396794701 100644
--- a/circle.yml
+++ b/circle.yml
@@ -18,12 +18,6 @@ dependencies:
     - sudo -E make -e setup-deploy-tests
   post:
     - sudo -E make -e lint
-    - sudo -E make -e unit-tests
 test:
   override:
-    ### deploy tests (against buildstep release) ####
-    - sudo -E make -e deploy-tests: { timeout: 1800 }
-    ### deploy tests (against buildstep master) ####
-    - sudo docker rmi -f progrium/buildstep
-    - sudo -E BUILD_STACK=true make -e stack
-    - sudo -E make -e deploy-tests: { timeout: 1800 }
+    - ./tests/ci/parallel_runner.sh: { parallel: true, timeout: 1800 }
diff --git a/tests/ci/parallel_runner.sh b/tests/ci/parallel_runner.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..68e1038ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ci/parallel_runner.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+case "$CIRCLE_NODE_INDEX" in
+  0)
+    echo "=====> make unit-tests"
+    sudo -E make -e unit-tests
+    ;;
+
+  1)
+    echo "=====> make deploy-tests (buildstep release)"
+    sudo -E make -e deploy-tests
+    ;;
+
+  2)
+    echo "=====> make deploy-tests (buildstep master)"
+    docker rmi -f progrium/buildstep && \
+    sudo -E BUILD_STACK=true make -e stack && \
+    sudo -E make -e deploy-tests
+    ;;
+esac