diff --git a/scripts/ci/gitlab/pipeline/test.yml b/scripts/ci/gitlab/pipeline/test.yml
index 3857940c9195e..29b96b8e902c8 100644
--- a/scripts/ci/gitlab/pipeline/test.yml
+++ b/scripts/ci/gitlab/pipeline/test.yml
@@ -388,8 +388,23 @@ test-full-crypto-feature:
     - time cargo +nightly build --locked --verbose --no-default-features --features full_crypto
     - rusty-cachier cache upload
 
+cargo-check-wasmer-sandbox:
+  stage:                           test
+  # this is an artificial job dependency, for pipeline optimization using GitLab's DAGs
+  extends:
+    - .docker-env
+    - .test-refs
+  script:
+    - rusty-cachier snapshot create
+    - time cargo check --locked --features wasmer-sandbox
+    - rusty-cachier cache upload
+
 test-wasmer-sandbox:
   stage:                           test
+  # this is an artificial job dependency, for pipeline optimization using GitLab's DAGs
+  needs:
+    - job:                         cargo-check-wasmer-sandbox
+      artifacts:                   false
   extends:
     - .docker-env
     - .test-refs-wasmer-sandbox