diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 2041ed036b463df1d46bbd80edae7c67245f458f..db1a550bbb03df5c84c7114d47f83be72c5b6738 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ stages:
   - dev_workflows
   - dev_cleanup
   - dev_merge
+  - validate_main_source
   - get_images
   - update_values
   - package_publish
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ dev_deploy_job:
           echo 'Helm deployment completed successfully.'
         "
   rules:
-    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"'
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event" && $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "develop"'
 
 
 
@@ -178,7 +179,7 @@ dev_workflows_job:
   dependencies:
     - dev_deploy_job
   rules:
-    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"'
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event" && $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "develop"'
 
 dev_cleanup_job:
   stage: dev_cleanup
@@ -248,7 +249,7 @@ dev_cleanup_job:
           echo 'Cleanup completed successfully.'
         "
   rules:
-    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"'
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event" && $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "develop"'
       when: always
 
 
@@ -262,19 +263,37 @@ dev_merge:
     - git config --global user.name "$GITLAB_USER_NAME"
     - git remote set-url origin "https://${GITLAB_USER_NAME}:${GROUP_ACCESS_TOKEN}@labs.etsi.org/rep/osl/hypo/code/org.etsi.osl.hypo.ops/installer.git"
 
-    - git fetch origin main
+    - git fetch origin develop
     - git fetch origin gitops-cd
 
     - git checkout gitops-cd
     - git pull origin gitops-cd
-    - git merge origin/main -m "Merge changes from main"
+    - git merge origin/develop -m "Merge changes from develop"
     - git push origin gitops-cd
   rules:
-    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "main" && $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE != "schedule"'
+    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "develop" && $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE != "schedule"'
       when: on_success
     - when: never
 
 
+validate_main_source_job:
+  stage: validate_main_source
+  tags:
+    - hypo
+  script:
+    - |
+      if [ "$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_SOURCE_BRANCH_NAME" != "develop" ]; then
+        echo "ERROR: Only develop can be merged into main."
+        exit 1
+      fi
+      echo "Valid merge: develop -> main"
+  rules:
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event" &&
+           $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "main"'
+    - when: never
+
+
+
 get_images:
   stage: get_images
   image: labs.etsi.org:5050/osl/hypo/code/org.etsi.osl.hypo.ops/cicd/integration.tests/alpine:latest
@@ -317,7 +336,6 @@ get_images:
   only:
     refs:
       - main
-      - gitops-cd
     variables:
       - '$CI_COMMIT_MESSAGE =~ /^release:\s\d/'
 
@@ -355,20 +373,19 @@ update_values:
 
         git fetch origin
 
-        git checkout gitops-cd
-        git pull origin gitops-cd
+        git checkout develop
+        git pull origin develop
         git fetch origin main
         git merge origin/main -m "Merge changes from main"
       
         git status
-        git push -f "https://${GITLAB_USER_NAME}:${GROUP_ACCESS_TOKEN}@labs.etsi.org/rep/osl/hypo/code/org.etsi.osl.hypo.ops/installer.git" HEAD:gitops-cd
+        git push -f "https://${GITLAB_USER_NAME}:${GROUP_ACCESS_TOKEN}@labs.etsi.org/rep/osl/hypo/code/org.etsi.osl.hypo.ops/installer.git" HEAD:develop
       else
         echo "No changes to commit."
       fi
   only:
     refs:
       - main
-      - gitops-cd
     variables:
       - '$CI_COMMIT_MESSAGE =~ /^release:\s\d/'
 
@@ -408,7 +425,6 @@ package_publish:
   only:
     refs:
       - main
-      - gitops-cd
     variables:
       - '$CI_COMMIT_MESSAGE =~ /^release:\s/'
 
@@ -427,7 +443,6 @@ prepare_release:
   only:
     refs:
       - main
-      - develop
     variables:
       - '$CI_COMMIT_MESSAGE =~ /^release:\s/'
 
@@ -452,7 +467,6 @@ release_job:
   only:
     refs:
       - main
-      - develop
     variables:
       - '$CI_COMMIT_MESSAGE =~ /^release:\s/'