diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index f2c3e692a..8df08c866 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ jobs:
           submodules: 'recursive'
       - name: Build Software
         run: |
+          bender vendor init
           make -C target/snitch_cluster sw
       - name: Build Hardware
         run: |
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ jobs:
           submodules: 'recursive'
       - name: Build Software
         run: |
+          bender vendor init
           make -C target/snitch_cluster SELECT_RUNTIME=banshee sw
       - name: Run Tests
         env:
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 610c271ea..624c2a003 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ variables:
   VERILATOR: verilator-4.110
   QUESTA: questa-2022.3
   LLVM_BINROOT: /usr/pack/riscv-1.0-kgf/pulp-llvm-0.12.0/bin
-  CLANG: /usr/pack/riscv-1.0-kgf/pulp-llvm-0.12.0/bin/clang
   CARGO_TARGET_X86_64_UNKNOWN_LINUX_GNU_LINKER: /usr/pack/gcc-9.2.0-af/linux-x64/bin/gcc
   LLVM_SYS_120_PREFIX: /usr/pack/llvm-12.0.1-af
   CMAKE: cmake-3.18.1
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ before_script:
   - $PYTHON -m venv .venv
   - source .venv/bin/activate
   - pip install -r python-requirements.txt
+  - $BENDER vendor init
 
 ##############
 # Build docs #
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 06a1c662f..7aba09569 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0, see LICENSE for details.
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
-REGGEN = $(shell bender path register_interface)/vendor/lowrisc_opentitan/util/regtool.py
+BENDER ?= bender
+REGGEN  = $(shell $(BENDER) path register_interface)/vendor/lowrisc_opentitan/util/regtool.py
 
 GENERATED_DOCS_DIR = docs/generated
 GENERATED_DOC_SRCS = $(GENERATED_DOCS_DIR)/peripherals.md
diff --git a/hw/mem_interface/util/compile.sh b/hw/mem_interface/util/compile.sh
index 73ccc7fca..51814285a 100755
--- a/hw/mem_interface/util/compile.sh
+++ b/hw/mem_interface/util/compile.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ set -e
 
 [ ! -z "$VSIM" ] || VSIM=vsim
 
-bender script vsim -t test \
+$BENDER script vsim -t test \
     --vlog-arg="-svinputport=compat" \
     --vlog-arg="-override_timescale 1ns/1ps" \
     --vlog-arg="-suppress 2583" \
diff --git a/hw/reqrsp_interface/util/compile.sh b/hw/reqrsp_interface/util/compile.sh
index 73ccc7fca..84956acea 100755
--- a/hw/reqrsp_interface/util/compile.sh
+++ b/hw/reqrsp_interface/util/compile.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ set -e
 
 [ ! -z "$VSIM" ] || VSIM=vsim
 
-bender script vsim -t test \
+$(BENDER) script vsim -t test \
     --vlog-arg="-svinputport=compat" \
     --vlog-arg="-override_timescale 1ns/1ps" \
     --vlog-arg="-suppress 2583" \
diff --git a/hw/snitch_cluster/util/compile.sh b/hw/snitch_cluster/util/compile.sh
index 73ccc7fca..51814285a 100755
--- a/hw/snitch_cluster/util/compile.sh
+++ b/hw/snitch_cluster/util/compile.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ set -e
 
 [ ! -z "$VSIM" ] || VSIM=vsim
 
-bender script vsim -t test \
+$BENDER script vsim -t test \
     --vlog-arg="-svinputport=compat" \
     --vlog-arg="-override_timescale 1ns/1ps" \
     --vlog-arg="-suppress 2583" \
diff --git a/hw/snitch_icache/util/compile.sh b/hw/snitch_icache/util/compile.sh
index 73ccc7fca..51814285a 100755
--- a/hw/snitch_icache/util/compile.sh
+++ b/hw/snitch_icache/util/compile.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ set -e
 
 [ ! -z "$VSIM" ] || VSIM=vsim
 
-bender script vsim -t test \
+$BENDER script vsim -t test \
     --vlog-arg="-svinputport=compat" \
     --vlog-arg="-override_timescale 1ns/1ps" \
     --vlog-arg="-suppress 2583" \
diff --git a/hw/snitch_ssr/util/compile.sh b/hw/snitch_ssr/util/compile.sh
index 73ccc7fca..84956acea 100755
--- a/hw/snitch_ssr/util/compile.sh
+++ b/hw/snitch_ssr/util/compile.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ set -e
 
 [ ! -z "$VSIM" ] || VSIM=vsim
 
-bender script vsim -t test \
+$(BENDER) script vsim -t test \
     --vlog-arg="-svinputport=compat" \
     --vlog-arg="-override_timescale 1ns/1ps" \
     --vlog-arg="-suppress 2583" \
diff --git a/hw/tcdm_interface/util/compile.sh b/hw/tcdm_interface/util/compile.sh
index 73ccc7fca..51814285a 100755
--- a/hw/tcdm_interface/util/compile.sh
+++ b/hw/tcdm_interface/util/compile.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ set -e
 
 [ ! -z "$VSIM" ] || VSIM=vsim
 
-bender script vsim -t test \
+$BENDER script vsim -t test \
     --vlog-arg="-svinputport=compat" \
     --vlog-arg="-override_timescale 1ns/1ps" \
     --vlog-arg="-suppress 2583" \