diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 90aebf8c5d5215bb4e79e7dbd9aa32d8d5efb610..f5755d4a3380257dc1080c31a7880f2f77331eea 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@ tests_debug:
   rules:
     - if: $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^wip*$/
       when: manual
-    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_TAG || $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "master"'
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG
       when: never
-    - if: $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_ID
+    - if: '$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_ID || $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "master"'
     - when: manual
   stage: tests
   variables: