diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index fa8e077a07..389592e3b7 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@
 image: buildroot/base:20191027.2027
 
 .check_base:
-    except:
-        - /^.*-.*_defconfig$/
-        - /^.*-tests\..*$/
+    rules:
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-.*_defconfig$/ || $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-tests\..*$/'
+          when: never
+        - when: always
 
 check-DEVELOPERS:
     extends: .check_base
@@ -76,17 +77,21 @@ check-package:
     extends: .defconfig_base
     # Running the defconfigs for every push is too much, so limit to
     # explicit triggers through the API.
-    only:
-        - triggers
-        - tags
-        - /-defconfigs$/
+    rules:
+        # For tags, create a pipeline.
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_TAG'
+        # For pipeline created by using a trigger token.
+        - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_TRIGGERED'
+        # For the branch or tag name named *-defconfigs, create a pipeline.
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-defconfigs$/'
     before_script:
         - DEFCONFIG_NAME=${CI_JOB_NAME}
 
 one-defconfig:
     extends: .defconfig_base
-    only:
-        - /^.*-.*_defconfig$/
+    rules:
+        # For the branch or tag name named *-*_defconfigs, create a pipeline.
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-.*_defconfig$/'
     before_script:
         - DEFCONFIG_NAME=$(echo ${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME} | sed -e 's,^.*-,,g')
 
@@ -110,17 +115,20 @@ one-defconfig:
     extends: .runtime_test_base
     # Running the runtime tests for every push is too much, so limit to
     # explicit triggers through the API.
-    only:
-        - triggers
-        - tags
-        - /-runtime-tests$/
+    rules:
+        # For tags, create a pipeline.
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_TAG'
+        # For pipeline created by using a trigger token.
+        - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_TRIGGERED'
+        # For the branch or tag name named *-runtime-tests, create a pipeline.
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-runtime-tests$/'
     before_script:
         - TEST_CASE_NAME=${CI_JOB_NAME}
 
 one-runtime_test:
     extends: .runtime_test_base
-    only:
-        - /^.*-tests\..*$/
+    rules:
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-tests\..*$/'
     before_script:
         - TEST_CASE_NAME=$(echo ${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME} | sed -e 's,^.*-,,g')
 aarch64_efi_defconfig: { extends: .defconfig }
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml.in b/.gitlab-ci.yml.in
index 6b09730a65..1facd2a66f 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml.in
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml.in
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@
 image: buildroot/base:20191027.2027
 
 .check_base:
-    except:
-        - /^.*-.*_defconfig$/
-        - /^.*-tests\..*$/
+    rules:
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-.*_defconfig$/ || $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-tests\..*$/'
+          when: never
+        - when: always
 
 check-DEVELOPERS:
     extends: .check_base
@@ -76,17 +77,21 @@ check-package:
     extends: .defconfig_base
     # Running the defconfigs for every push is too much, so limit to
     # explicit triggers through the API.
-    only:
-        - triggers
-        - tags
-        - /-defconfigs$/
+    rules:
+        # For tags, create a pipeline.
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_TAG'
+        # For pipeline created by using a trigger token.
+        - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_TRIGGERED'
+        # For the branch or tag name named *-defconfigs, create a pipeline.
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-defconfigs$/'
     before_script:
         - DEFCONFIG_NAME=${CI_JOB_NAME}
 
 one-defconfig:
     extends: .defconfig_base
-    only:
-        - /^.*-.*_defconfig$/
+    rules:
+        # For the branch or tag name named *-*_defconfigs, create a pipeline.
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-.*_defconfig$/'
     before_script:
         - DEFCONFIG_NAME=$(echo ${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME} | sed -e 's,^.*-,,g')
 
@@ -110,16 +115,19 @@ one-defconfig:
     extends: .runtime_test_base
     # Running the runtime tests for every push is too much, so limit to
     # explicit triggers through the API.
-    only:
-        - triggers
-        - tags
-        - /-runtime-tests$/
+    rules:
+        # For tags, create a pipeline.
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_TAG'
+        # For pipeline created by using a trigger token.
+        - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_TRIGGERED'
+        # For the branch or tag name named *-runtime-tests, create a pipeline.
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-runtime-tests$/'
     before_script:
         - TEST_CASE_NAME=${CI_JOB_NAME}
 
 one-runtime_test:
     extends: .runtime_test_base
-    only:
-        - /^.*-tests\..*$/
+    rules:
+        - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^.*-tests\..*$/'
     before_script:
         - TEST_CASE_NAME=$(echo ${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME} | sed -e 's,^.*-,,g')