diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 4fa43303775a..29c6abb1cd89 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -387,6 +387,6 @@ trigger-simnet:
     # simnet project ID
     DWNSTRM_ID:                    332
   script:
-    # API trigger for a simnet job
-    - ./scripts/gitlab/trigger_pipeline.sh
+    # API trigger for a simnet job, argument value is set in the project variables
+    - ./scripts/gitlab/trigger_pipeline.sh ${SIMNET_REF}
   allow_failure:                   true
diff --git a/scripts/gitlab/trigger_pipeline.sh b/scripts/gitlab/trigger_pipeline.sh
index de74cfc478ec..63a4159a5a33 100755
--- a/scripts/gitlab/trigger_pipeline.sh
+++ b/scripts/gitlab/trigger_pipeline.sh
@@ -1,14 +1,19 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+# EXAMPLE USAGE:
+# ./trigger_pipeline.sh v5
+
 set -eu
 
+SIMNET_REF=$1
+
 # API trigger another project's pipeline
-echo "Triggering Simnet pipeline."
+echo "Triggering Simnet pipeline version '${SIMNET_REF}'."
 
 curl --silent \
     -X POST \
     -F "token=${CI_JOB_TOKEN}" \
-    -F "ref=v4" `# trigger the pinned version of simnet CI config` \
+    -F "ref=${SIMNET_REF}" `# trigger the pinned version of Simnet CI config` \
     -F "variables[TRGR_PROJECT]=${TRGR_PROJECT}" \
     -F "variables[TRGR_REF]=${TRGR_REF}" \
     -F "variables[IMAGE_NAME]=${IMAGE_NAME}" \
@@ -50,4 +55,3 @@ for i in $(seq 1 360); do
     fi
 sleep 8;
 done
-# dummy: delete me