diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index f02446b..515354d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ semver-tag:
   rules:
     - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG
       when: never
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == 'release'
   variables:
     # Disable shallow cloning so that svu can diff between tags
     GIT_DEPTH: 0
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ release:
   rules:
     - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG
       when: never
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == 'release'
   script:
     - echo "Creating release for $TAG"
   release: