diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index b4860c350f7b6c0c684524713903a961f614a026..5870e13f6a36eb080380977ca0eb86252481e7d5 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ include:
       - ci-templates/default.yml
       - ci-templates/build.yml
     rules:
-      - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_PROTECTED && $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME != "main" && $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME != "develop"'
+      - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_PROTECTED == "true" && $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME != "main" && $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME != "develop"'
 
   - project: osl/code/org.etsi.osl.main
     ref: develop
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ include:
       - ci-templates/default.yml
       - ci-templates/build_unprotected.yml
     rules:
-      - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME != "main" && $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME != "develop" && !$CI_COMMIT_REF_PROTECTED'
+      - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME != "main" && $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME != "develop" && $CI_COMMIT_REF_PROTECTED == "false"'
 
 docker_build:
   extends: .docker_build