diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a007fc08..04a0fedf 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ container_prep:
   script:
   - export PATH=~/.local/bin:$PATH
   - cd "$BUILDDIR"
-  - meson --prefix="$PREFIX" ${MESON_OPTIONS} ..
+  - meson --prefix="$PREFIX" -Db_sanitize=address ${MESON_OPTIONS} ..
   - ninja -k0
   - ninja install
-  - virtme-run --rw --pwd --kimg /weston-virtme/bzImage --script-dir ../.gitlab-ci/virtme-scripts
+  - virtme-run --rw --pwd --kimg /weston-virtme/bzImage --script-dir ../.gitlab-ci/virtme-scripts --qemu-opts -m 1024
   - TEST_RES=$(cat $TESTS_RES_PATH)
   - rm $TESTS_RES_PATH
   - cp -R /weston-virtme ./
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/virtme-scripts/run-weston-tests.sh b/.gitlab-ci/virtme-scripts/run-weston-tests.sh
index 98ed9a74..af1e1c5f 100755
--- a/.gitlab-ci/virtme-scripts/run-weston-tests.sh
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/virtme-scripts/run-weston-tests.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export HOME=/root
 while ! [ -e /run/seatd.sock ]; do sleep 0.1; done
 
 # run the tests and save the exit status
-ninja test
+ASAN_OPTIONS=detect_leaks=0,atexit=1 ninja test
 TEST_RES=$?
 
 # create a file to keep the result of this script: