diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 6a642de51..50ca4dc11 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -156,6 +156,8 @@ backend:prod:
 
 release:prepare:
   stage: release
+  rules: &release-rules
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG =~ /^v/
   script:
     - echo "Preparing release..."
     # TODO: get tag and pass to following release jobs as artifact
@@ -163,11 +165,10 @@ release:prepare:
   artifacts:
     paths:
       - .current-version
-  rules: &release-rules
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG =~ /^v/
 
 release:changelog:
   stage: release
+  rules: *release-rules
   script:
     - xzcat node-dependencies.nar.xz | nix-store --import
     - nix -L run ".#jqChangelogJson" -- -r '.versions[0].version' > .current-version
@@ -183,6 +184,7 @@ release:changelog:
 
 release:container:
   stage: release
+  rules: *release-rules
   variables:
     GIT_STRATEGY: none
   image: ${IMAGE_BUILDER}
@@ -197,14 +199,13 @@ release:container:
     - backend:prod # sanity
     - release:prepare
     - release:changelog
-  rules: *release-rules
 
 release:release:
   stage: release
+  rules: *release-rules
   variables:
     GIT_STRATEGY: none
   image: registry.gitlab.com/gitlab-org/release-cli:latest
-  rules: *release-rules
   script:
     - echo "Creating release ${VERSION}"
   release: