diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index f0ee6bef6e..57b163651e 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -142,9 +142,16 @@ cache:
     rm -rf ${CI_PYTHON_TOOL_REPO}
   fi
 
+.set_include_nightly_run: &set_include_nightly_run |
+  # in bash regex, (?:..) -> (..)
+  if [[ "$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_LABELS" =~ ^([^,\n\r]+,)*include_nightly_run(,[^,\n\r]+)*$ ]]; then
+    export INCLUDE_NIGHTLY_RUN="1"
+  fi
+
 before_script:
   - source tools/ci/utils.sh
   - is_based_on_commits $REQUIRED_ANCESTOR_COMMITS
+  - *set_include_nightly_run
   - source tools/ci/setup_python.sh
   - add_gitlab_ssh_keys
   - source tools/ci/configure_ci_environment.sh
@@ -162,6 +169,7 @@ before_script:
     - echo "Not setting up GitLab key, not fetching submodules"
     - source tools/ci/utils.sh
     - is_based_on_commits $REQUIRED_ANCESTOR_COMMITS
+    - *set_include_nightly_run
     - source tools/ci/setup_python.sh
     - source tools/ci/configure_ci_environment.sh
     - *download_test_python_contraint_file
@@ -172,12 +180,14 @@ before_script:
     - echo "Only load utils.sh"
     - source tools/ci/utils.sh
     - is_based_on_commits $REQUIRED_ANCESTOR_COMMITS
+    - *set_include_nightly_run
 
 .before_script_integration_test:
   before_script:
     # need to install esptool, needn't install idf python env
   - source tools/ci/utils.sh
   - is_based_on_commits $REQUIRED_ANCESTOR_COMMITS
+  - *set_include_nightly_run
   - source tools/ci/setup_python.sh
   - add_gitlab_ssh_keys
   - fetch_submodules
@@ -193,6 +203,7 @@ before_script:
   before_script:
     - source tools/ci/utils.sh
     - is_based_on_commits $REQUIRED_ANCESTOR_COMMITS
+    - *set_include_nightly_run
     - export IDF_TOOLS_PATH="${HOME}/.espressif_runner_${CI_RUNNER_ID}_${CI_CONCURRENT_ID}"
     - *download_test_python_contraint_file
     - $IDF_PATH/tools/idf_tools.py install-python-env
@@ -211,6 +222,7 @@ before_script:
   before_script:
     - source tools/ci/utils.sh
     - is_based_on_commits $REQUIRED_ANCESTOR_COMMITS
+    - *set_include_nightly_run
     - source tools/ci/setup_python.sh
     - add_gitlab_ssh_keys
     - source tools/ci/configure_ci_environment.sh
@@ -226,6 +238,7 @@ before_script:
   before_script:
     - source tools/ci/utils.sh
     - is_based_on_commits $REQUIRED_ANCESTOR_COMMITS
+    - *set_include_nightly_run
     - source tools/ci/setup_python.sh
     - add_gitlab_ssh_keys
     - source tools/ci/configure_ci_environment.sh
diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml b/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml
index ca2974c46b..15adcae2d4 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml
@@ -187,7 +187,6 @@ build:integration_test:
     - - esp32
       - esp32c3
   specific_rules:
-    - "if-include_nightly_run-rule"
     - "if-example_test-ota-include_nightly_run-rule"
   included_in:
     - "build:example_test-{0}"
diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml b/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml
index 2bd2096423..5aad86a7ce 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml
@@ -254,13 +254,6 @@
 #####################
 # Specific if rules #
 #####################
-
-# Inlcude nightly run cases by labels `include_nightly_run` or `target_test`
-.if-include_nightly_run-rule: &if-include_nightly_run-rule
-  if: '$INCLUDE_NIGHTLY_RUN || $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_LABELS =~ /^(?:[^,\n\r]+,)*include_nightly_run(?:,[^,\n\r]+)*$/i || $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_LABELS =~ /^(?:[^,\n\r]+,)*target_test(?:,[^,\n\r]+)*$/i'
-  variables:
-    INCLUDE_NIGHTLY_RUN: "1"
-
 .if-example_test-ota-include_nightly_run-rule: &if-example_test-ota-include_nightly_run-rule
   <<: *if-dev-push
   changes: *patterns-example_test-ota-nightly_run
@@ -749,7 +742,6 @@
       when: never
     - <<: *if-protected
     - <<: *if-example_test-ota-include_nightly_run-rule
-    - <<: *if-include_nightly_run-rule
     - <<: *if-label-build
     - <<: *if-label-example_test
     - <<: *if-label-example_test_esp32
@@ -781,7 +773,6 @@
       when: never
     - <<: *if-protected
     - <<: *if-example_test-ota-include_nightly_run-rule
-    - <<: *if-include_nightly_run-rule
     - <<: *if-label-build
     - <<: *if-label-example_test
     - <<: *if-label-example_test_esp32
@@ -828,7 +819,6 @@
       when: never
     - <<: *if-protected
     - <<: *if-example_test-ota-include_nightly_run-rule
-    - <<: *if-include_nightly_run-rule
     - <<: *if-label-build
     - <<: *if-label-example_test
     - <<: *if-label-example_test_esp32c3
@@ -952,7 +942,6 @@
       when: never
     - <<: *if-protected
     - <<: *if-example_test-ota-include_nightly_run-rule
-    - <<: *if-include_nightly_run-rule
     - <<: *if-label-build
     - <<: *if-label-component_ut
     - <<: *if-label-component_ut_esp32
@@ -1914,7 +1903,6 @@
     - <<: *if-label-build-only
       when: never
     - <<: *if-example_test-ota-include_nightly_run-rule
-    - <<: *if-include_nightly_run-rule
 
 .rules:test:example_test-esp32-sdio:
   rules:
@@ -2048,7 +2036,6 @@
     - <<: *if-label-build-only
       when: never
     - <<: *if-example_test-ota-include_nightly_run-rule
-    - <<: *if-include_nightly_run-rule
 
 .rules:test:example_test-esp32c3-sdio:
   rules: