diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 761c04ec519cb7f8cda0e102f599838edee5f3ce..0051d0cdd956ab04b5da24ef9ca65416cf3ff6d2 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -1805,11 +1805,17 @@ coverage-test-on-main-scheduled:
     - python3 -m pytest -q -n auto tests/renderer/test_renderer.py --create_ref
     - python3 -m pytest -q -n auto tests/renderer/test_renderer.py --create_cut    
     - lcov -c -d obj -o coverage_stv.info # extract coverage of short test vectors here
+    # remove apps and lib_util files from coverage
+    - lcov -r coverage_stv.info "*apps*" -o coverage_stv.info
+    - lcov -r coverage_stv.info "*lib_util*" -o coverage_stv.info
     - python3 -m pytest $TESTS_DIR_CODEC_BE_ON_MR/test_param_file.py -v -n auto --update_ref 1 -m create_ref --param_file scripts/config/self_test_evs.prm --ref_encoder_path ./IVAS_cod --ref_decoder_path ./IVAS_dec
     - bash ci/smoke_test.sh coverage
     - python3 -m pytest $TESTS_DIR_CODEC_BE_ON_MR/test_param_file.py -v -n auto --update_ref 1 -m create_ref --param_file scripts/config/self_test_ltv.prm --ref_encoder_path ./IVAS_cod --ref_decoder_path ./IVAS_dec
     - bash ci/ivas_voip_be_test.sh coverage
     - lcov -c -d obj -o coverage.info
+    # remove apps and lib_util files from coverage
+    - lcov -r coverage.info "*apps*" -o coverage.info
+    - lcov -r coverage.info "*lib_util*" -o coverage.info
     - commit_sha=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
     - genhtml coverage.info -o coverage -t "Coverage on main @ $commit_sha"
     - genhtml coverage_stv.info -o coverage_stv -t "Coverage on main -- short test vectors @ $commit_sha"