diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml b/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml
index 0a1a48dcda..24a33273d6 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml
@@ -49,15 +49,20 @@
 
 "build:docs":
   labels:
-    - build
     - docs
     - build_docs  # for backward compatibility
   patterns:
     - docs
   deploy:
-    - preview
     - production
 
+"build:docs:label-only":
+  labels:
+    - docs
+    - build_docs  # for backward compatibility
+  deploy:
+    - preview
+
 "build":
   labels:
     - build
diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/docs.yml b/.gitlab/ci/docs.yml
index 0961222355..d128ff4e45 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/docs.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/docs.yml
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ build_docs_html:
 build_docs_pdf:
   extends:
     - .build_docs_build_stage_template
+    - .rules:build:docs:label-only
   artifacts:
     when: always
     paths:
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ build_docs_pdf:
 deploy_docs_preview:
   extends:
     - .deploy_docs_template
-    - .rules:build:docs-preview
+    - .rules:build:docs:label-only-preview
   dependencies:  # set dependencies to null to avoid missing artifacts issue
   needs:
     - build_docs_html
diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml b/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml
index ffc1533807..04dce56a27 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml
@@ -565,19 +565,6 @@
 .rules:build:docs:
   rules:
     - <<: *if-protected
-    - <<: *if-label-build
-    - <<: *if-title-build
-    - <<: *if-label-build_docs
-    - <<: *if-title-build_docs
-    - <<: *if-label-docs
-    - <<: *if-title-docs
-    - <<: *if-dev-push
-      changes: *patterns-docs
-
-.rules:build:docs-preview:
-  rules:
-    - <<: *if-label-build
-    - <<: *if-title-build
     - <<: *if-label-build_docs
     - <<: *if-title-build_docs
     - <<: *if-label-docs
@@ -589,6 +576,21 @@
   rules:
     - <<: *if-protected-no_label
 
+.rules:build:docs:label-only:
+  rules:
+    - <<: *if-protected
+    - <<: *if-label-build_docs
+    - <<: *if-title-build_docs
+    - <<: *if-label-docs
+    - <<: *if-title-docs
+
+.rules:build:docs:label-only-preview:
+  rules:
+    - <<: *if-label-build_docs
+    - <<: *if-title-build_docs
+    - <<: *if-label-docs
+    - <<: *if-title-docs
+
 .rules:build:example_test-esp32:
   rules:
     - <<: *if-protected