diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 42974364977d8e882270a11ba42eb2bfcb9ea301..f84f6be7f839375ec8e8aa862046120eff4f30af 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ conda_build:
     - large
   script:
     - mkdir conda-bld
-    - conda build . -c conda-forge --output-folder conda-bld/
+    - conda build conda/ -c conda-forge --output-folder conda-bld/
   retry:
     max: 2
     when: runner_system_failure
@@ -21,9 +21,15 @@ conda_build:
     expire_in: 1 hour
     paths:
       - conda-bld
-  only:
-    - develop
-    - master
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH =~ /^release/
+      when: manual
+      allow_failure: true
+    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "develop"'
+      when: manual
+      allow_failure: true
+    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "master"'
+      when: on_success
 
 
 coverage:
@@ -39,7 +45,7 @@ coverage:
     - conda install -y -n base -c conda-forge conda-libmamba-solver
     - conda config --set solver libmamba
     # Create 'bvpy' conda environment & activate it:
-    - conda env create -f conda/env_20240207.yaml -y
+    - conda create -y -n bvpy -c conda-forge "python=3.9" "fenics=2019.1" "python-gmsh=4.11"
     - source activate bvpy
     # Install `bvpy` from sources:
     - python -m pip install -e .
@@ -52,6 +58,7 @@ coverage:
   only:
     - develop
     - master
+    - /^release/
 
 anaconda :
   stage: deploy
@@ -70,9 +77,15 @@ anaconda :
   dependencies:
     - conda_build
     - coverage
-  only:
-    - master
-    - develop
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH =~ /^release/
+      when: manual
+      allow_failure: true
+    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "develop"'
+      when: manual
+      allow_failure: true
+    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "master"'
+      when: on_success
 
 pages:
   stage: deploy
@@ -87,7 +100,7 @@ pages:
     - conda install -y -n base -c conda-forge conda-libmamba-solver
     - conda config --set solver libmamba
     # Create 'bvpy' conda environment & activate it:
-    - conda env create -f conda/env_20240207.yaml -y
+    - conda create -y -n bvpy -c conda-forge "python=3.9" "fenics=2019.1" "python-gmsh=4.11"
     - conda activate bvpy
     # Install `bvpy` package (from sources):
     - python -m pip install -e .
@@ -104,10 +117,14 @@ pages:
       - public
   dependencies: []
   rules:
-      - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "develop"'
-        when: manual
-      - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "master"'
-        when: on_success
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH =~ /^release/
+      when: manual
+      allow_failure: true
+    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "develop"'
+      when: manual
+      allow_failure: true
+    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "master"'
+      when: on_success
 
 docker_build_deploy:
   image: docker:latest