diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 891c97f2e..d84a45673 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ container:
   retry: 2
   interruptible: true
   rules: &release-rules
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG =~ /^v/
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG =~ /^v/ && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH
 test container:
   stage: container:build
   script:
@@ -366,3 +366,20 @@ release:
       artifacts: false
     - job: parse changelog
       artifacts: true
+test release:
+  variables:
+    GIT_STRATEGY: none
+  stage: release
+  image: registry.gitlab.com/gitlab-org/release-cli:latest
+  rules: *test-release-rules
+  script:
+    - echo "Will create test release ${VERSION}..."
+  release:
+    name: "${VERSION}-test"
+    tag_name: "${CI_COMMIT_TAG}-test"
+    description: .current-changelog.md
+  needs:
+    - job: check # sanity
+      artifacts: false
+    - job: parse changelog
+      artifacts: true