diff --git a/templates/docker-compose.yml b/templates/docker-compose.yml
index 613fde67bd93f072570d7d478350dad0f0b36796..34448c0f09c4be5ba994484934c8e9edbb7b2c16 100644
--- a/templates/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/templates/docker-compose.yml
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ spec:
       - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH && $BUILD_MAIN
         exists:
           - $COMPOSE_FILE
-      - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH && $BUILD_BRANCH && $BUILD_ONLY_PROTECTED == "false"
+      - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH && $BUILD_BRANCH && ($BUILD_ONLY_PROTECTED == "false" || $CI_COMMIT_REF_PROTECTED == "true")
         exists:
           - $COMPOSE_FILE
       - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG && $BUILD_TAG