diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 11e3b2a3..71953482 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -56,8 +56,10 @@ include:
 
 workflow:
   rules:
-    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event'
-    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push'
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH && $CI_OPEN_MERGE_REQUESTS
+      when: never
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH
 
 stages:
   - sanity check     # CI/commit checks
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/ci.template b/.gitlab-ci/ci.template
index cf0ba552..214f6713 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci/ci.template
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/ci.template
@@ -50,8 +50,10 @@ include:
 
 workflow:
   rules:
-    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event'
-    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push'
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH && $CI_OPEN_MERGE_REQUESTS
+      when: never
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH
 
 stages:
   - sanity check     # CI/commit checks