diff --git a/substrate/.gitlab-ci.yml b/substrate/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 872f916f4c..c25276dd10 100644
--- a/substrate/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/substrate/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ variables:
     - cargo --version
     - sccache -s
   only:
-    - tags
     - master
     - /^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+.*$/        # i.e. v1.0, v2.1rc1
     - schedules
@@ -53,6 +52,13 @@ variables:
   tags:
     - linux-docker
 
+.build-only:                       &build-only
+  only:
+    - master
+    - /^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+.*$/        # i.e. v1.0, v2.1rc1
+    - web
+
+
 
 #### stage:                        test
 
@@ -145,10 +151,6 @@ test-srml-staking:                 &test-srml-staking
   except:
     variables:
       - $DEPLOY_TAG
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - .gitlab-ci.yml
-      - srml/staking/*
   script:
     - cd srml/staking/
     - time cargo test --release --verbose --no-default-features --features std
@@ -214,11 +216,6 @@ check-web-wasm:
     - time cargo web build -p substrate-trie
     - sccache -s
 
-.build-only:                       &build-only
-  only:
-    - master
-    - tags
-    - web
 
 #### stage:                        build
 
@@ -525,6 +522,8 @@ deploy-ue1-tag:
     name:                          parity-prod-ue1
 
 .validator-deploy:                 &validator-deploy
+  # script will fail if there is no artifacts/substrate/VERSION
+  <<:                              *build-only
   stage:                           flaming-fir
   dependencies:
     - build-linux-substrate