diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 218ed58..6c67314 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ variables:
   tags:
     - x86_64-darwin
 
+.freebsd:
+  tags:
+    - x86_64-freebsd
+
 .test_ghcup_version:
   script:
     - ./.gitlab/script/ghcup_version.sh
@@ -48,31 +52,67 @@ variables:
     - exit 0
 
 
+.test_ghcup_version:freebsd:
+  extends:
+    - .test_ghcup_version
+    - .freebsd
+  before_script:
+    - ./.gitlab/before_script/freebsd/install_deps.sh
+  variables:
+    OS: "FREEBSD"
+  after_script:
+    - BUILD_DIR=$CI_PROJECT_DIR
+    - echo "Cleaning $BUILD_DIR"
+    - cd $HOME
+    - rm -Rf "$BUILD_DIR"/*
+    - exit 0
 
-######## linux ########
+
+
+######## linux test ########
 
 test:linux:recommended:
   extends: .test_ghcup_version:linux
   variables:
-    GHC_VERSION: "recommended"
+    GHC_VERSION: "8.6.5"
+    CABAL_VERSION: "3.2.0.0"
 
 test:linux:latest:
   extends: .test_ghcup_version:linux
   variables:
-    GHC_VERSION: "latest"
+    GHC_VERSION: "8.8.3"
+    CABAL_VERSION: "3.2.0.0"
   allow_failure: true
 
 
-######## darwin ########
+######## darwin test ########
 
 test:mac:recommended:
   extends: .test_ghcup_version:darwin
   variables:
-    GHC_VERSION: "recommended"
+    GHC_VERSION: "8.6.5"
+    CABAL_VERSION: "3.2.0.0"
 
 test:mac:latest:
   extends: .test_ghcup_version:darwin
   variables:
-    GHC_VERSION: "latest"
+    GHC_VERSION: "8.8.3"
+    CABAL_VERSION: "3.2.0.0"
+  allow_failure: true
+
+
+######## freebsd test ########
+
+test:freebsd:recommended:
+  extends: .test_ghcup_version:freebsd
+  variables:
+    GHC_VERSION: "8.6.5"
+    CABAL_VERSION: "3.2.0.0"
+
+test:freebsd:latest:
+  extends: .test_ghcup_version:freebsd
+  variables:
+    GHC_VERSION: "8.8.3"
+    CABAL_VERSION: "3.2.0.0"
   allow_failure: true
 
diff --git a/.gitlab/before_script/darwin/install_deps.sh b/.gitlab/before_script/darwin/install_deps.sh
index b6de4fa..3976867 100755
--- a/.gitlab/before_script/darwin/install_deps.sh
+++ b/.gitlab/before_script/darwin/install_deps.sh
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ set -eux
 
 . "$( cd "$(dirname "$0")" ; pwd -P )/../../ghcup_env"
 
-curl -sSfL https://gitlab.haskell.org/haskell/ghcup/-/raw/master/ghcup > ./ghcup-legacy
-chmod +x ghcup-legacy
+curl -sSfL https://downloads.haskell.org/~ghcup/x86_64-apple-darwin-ghcup > ./ghcup-bin
+chmod +x ghcup-bin
 
-./ghcup-legacy install ${GHC_VERSION}
-./ghcup-legacy set ${GHC_VERSION}
-./ghcup-legacy install-cabal
+./ghcup-bin install ${GHC_VERSION}
+./ghcup-bin set ${GHC_VERSION}
+./ghcup-bin install-cabal ${CABAL_VERSION}
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/.gitlab/before_script/freebsd/install_deps.sh b/.gitlab/before_script/freebsd/install_deps.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e211583
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitlab/before_script/freebsd/install_deps.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -eux
+
+# pkg install --force --yes --no-repo-update curl gcc gmp gmake ncurses perl5 libffi libiconv
+
+. "$( cd "$(dirname "$0")" ; pwd -P )/../../ghcup_env"
+
+curl -sSfL https://downloads.haskell.org/~ghcup/x86_64-portbld-freebsd-ghcup > ./ghcup-bin
+chmod +x ghcup-bin
+
+mkdir -p "${GHCUP_INSTALL_BASE_PREFIX}"/.ghcup/bin
+# ./ghcup-bin install ${GHC_VERSION}
+# ./ghcup-bin install-cabal ${CABAL_VERSION}
+# ./ghcup-bin set ${GHC_VERSION}
+
+# install cabal-3.2.0.0
+curl -sSfL -o freebsd.tar.xz 'https://hasufell.de/f/48aa72dcfaff4c3ea452/?dl=1'
+tar xf freebsd.tar.xz
+cp cabal "${GHCUP_INSTALL_BASE_PREFIX}/.ghcup/bin/cabal"
+chmod +x "${GHCUP_INSTALL_BASE_PREFIX}/.ghcup/bin/cabal"
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/.gitlab/before_script/linux/install_deps.sh b/.gitlab/before_script/linux/install_deps.sh
index 25a8c91..3c52279 100755
--- a/.gitlab/before_script/linux/install_deps.sh
+++ b/.gitlab/before_script/linux/install_deps.sh
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ sudo apt-get install -y libnuma-dev zlib1g-dev libgmp-dev libgmp10 libssl-dev li
 
 . "$( cd "$(dirname "$0")" ; pwd -P )/../../ghcup_env"
 
-curl -sSfL https://gitlab.haskell.org/haskell/ghcup/-/raw/master/ghcup > ./ghcup-legacy
-chmod +x ghcup-legacy
+curl -sSfL https://downloads.haskell.org/~ghcup/x86_64-linux-ghcup > ./ghcup-bin
+chmod +x ghcup-bin
 
-./ghcup-legacy install ${GHC_VERSION}
-./ghcup-legacy set ${GHC_VERSION}
-./ghcup-legacy install-cabal
+./ghcup-bin install ${GHC_VERSION}
+./ghcup-bin set ${GHC_VERSION}
+./ghcup-bin install-cabal ${CABAL_VERSION}
 
diff --git a/.gitlab/script/ghcup_version.sh b/.gitlab/script/ghcup_version.sh
index 0f12c8d..07d8648 100755
--- a/.gitlab/script/ghcup_version.sh
+++ b/.gitlab/script/ghcup_version.sh
@@ -14,32 +14,44 @@ eghcup() {
 	ghcup -v -c -s file://$(pwd)/ghcup-${JSON_VERSION}.json "$@"
 }
 
-# build
+
+### build
+
 ecabal update
 
 if [ "${OS}" = "DARWIN" ] ; then
-	ecabal build -fcurl
+	ecabal build -w ghc-${GHC_VERSION} -fcurl
 else
-	ecabal build
+	ecabal build -w ghc-${GHC_VERSION}
 fi
 
 cp "$(ecabal new-exec --enable-tests --verbose=0 --offline sh -- -c 'command -v ghcup')" .
 cp "$(ecabal new-exec --enable-tests --verbose=0 --offline sh -- -c 'command -v ghcup-gen')" .
 
-
-# testing
-
 cp ./ghcup "$CI_PROJECT_DIR"/.local/bin/ghcup
 cp ./ghcup-gen "$CI_PROJECT_DIR"/.local/bin/ghcup-gen
+
+### cleanup
+
 rm -rf "${GHCUP_INSTALL_BASE_PREFIX}"/.ghcup
 
+
+### manual cli based testing
+
+
 ghcup-gen check -f ghcup-${JSON_VERSION}.json
 
 eghcup --numeric-version
 
+# TODO: rm once we have tarballs
+if [ "${OS}"  = "FREEBSD" ] ; then
+	GHC_VERSION=8.6.3
+	CABAL_VERSION=2.4.1.0
+fi
+
 eghcup install ${GHC_VERSION}
 eghcup set ${GHC_VERSION}
-eghcup install-cabal
+eghcup install-cabal ${CABAL_VERSION}
 
 cabal --version