diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index d4f49d083aa232ff0951d30a74722e9bc1f06207..dd43c341a7380b1620f44592fb4bde3727c10c15 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 variables:
+  BUILD_VERSION: ""
   HOSTALIASES: "./hosts"
   DOCKER_HOST: "unix:///var/run/dind/docker.sock"
   DOCKER_VERSION: "27"
@@ -30,6 +31,13 @@ cache:
   paths:
     - .m2/repository
 
+workflow:
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME == "dev"
+      variables:
+        BUILD_VERSION: "+git.${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}"
+    - when: always
+
 stages:
   - lint
   - build
@@ -416,16 +424,10 @@ release-images:
     - test-search-service
     - test-search-service-init
     - test-ui
-  variables:
-    BUILD_VERSION: ""
   only:
     refs:
       - dev
       - /^release-.*/
-  rules:
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME == dev
-      variables:
-        BUILD_VERSION: "+git.${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}"
   before_script:
     - "docker logout ${CI_REGISTRY_URL}"
     - "echo ${CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD} | docker login --username ${CI_REGISTRY_USER} --password-stdin ${CI_REGISTRY_URL}"