diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a1000e12ed155692b26d67f097e26b9d6bb4c2ea..fafc6d425f42dd00bf833ff268028e6c7709efdd 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -26,9 +26,10 @@ workflow:
       when: never
     - if: '$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_LABELS =~ /.*workflow:paused.*/'
       when: never
-    - if: $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_IID                    # merge requests
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG                           # tags, ogs/ogs repo only
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH  # master, ogs/ogs repo only
+    - if: $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_IID                         # merge requests
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG                                # tags, ogs/ogs repo only
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH       # master, ogs/ogs repo only
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH =~ /^v[0-9]\.[0-9]\.[0-9]/  # release branches, e.g. v6.x.x
 
 include:
   # extends