diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 6695e96311a3d50a8f603baec78a01c92cf8ed4d..d9f6584f838273935e7ace36580bd2b642854550 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -47,13 +47,6 @@ stages:
 # only supposed to run on merge requests with file changes. However,
 # two pipelines will spawn instead of one of which one tagged with 'detached`.
 .base_docker_images_except:
-  extends: .base_docker_images
-  except:
-    refs:
-      - tags
-      - master
-      - merge_requests
-.base_docker_images_except_merge:
   extends: .base_docker_images
   except:
     refs:
@@ -113,17 +106,6 @@ docker_build_image_all:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-xst latest
 docker_build_image_elk:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/elk.yml
-      - docker-compose/elk/*
-      - docker-compose/elk-configure-host/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh elk $tag
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh elk-configure-host $tag
-docker_build_image_elk_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -137,15 +119,6 @@ docker_build_image_elk_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh elk-configure-host $tag
 docker_build_image_lofar_device_base:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh lofar-device-base $tag
-docker_build_image_lofar_device_base_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -157,15 +130,6 @@ docker_build_image_lofar_device_base_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh lofar-device-base $tag
 docker_build_image_prometheus:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/prometheus.yml
-      - docker-compose/prometheus/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh prometheus $tag
-docker_build_image_prometheus_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -177,15 +141,6 @@ docker_build_image_prometheus_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh prometheus $tag
 docker_build_image_itango:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/itango.yml
-      - docker-compose/itango/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh itango $tag
-docker_build_image_itango_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -197,15 +152,6 @@ docker_build_image_itango_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh itango $tag
 docker_build_image_grafana:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/grafana.yml
-      - docker-compose/grafana/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh grafana $tag
-docker_build_image_grafana_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -217,15 +163,6 @@ docker_build_image_grafana_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh grafana $tag
 docker_build_image_jupyter:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/jupyter.yml
-      - docker-compose/jupyter/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh jupyter $tag
-docker_build_image_jupyter_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -237,15 +174,6 @@ docker_build_image_jupyter_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh jupyter $tag
 docker_build_image_apsct_sim:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/aspct-sim.yml
-      - docker-compose/pypcc-sim-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh apsct-sim $tag
-docker_build_image_apsct_sim_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -257,15 +185,6 @@ docker_build_image_apsct_sim_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh apsct-sim $tag
 docker_build_image_apspu_sim:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/apspu-sim.yml
-      - docker-compose/pypcc-sim-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh apspu-sim $tag
-docker_build_image_apspu_sim_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -277,15 +196,6 @@ docker_build_image_apspu_sim_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh apspu-sim $tag
 docker_build_image_recv_sim:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/recv-sim.yml
-      - docker-compose/pypcc-sim-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh recv-sim $tag
-docker_build_image_recv_sim_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -297,15 +207,6 @@ docker_build_image_recv_sim_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh recv-sim $tag
 docker_build_image_sdptr_sim:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/sdptr-sim.yml
-      - docker-compose/sdptr-sim/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh sdptr-sim $tag
-docker_build_image_sdptr_sim_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -317,15 +218,6 @@ docker_build_image_sdptr_sim_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh sdptr-sim $tag
 docker_build_image_unb2_sim:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/unb2-sim.yml
-      - docker-compose/pypcc-sim-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh unb2-sim $tag
-docker_build_image_unb2_sim_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -335,15 +227,6 @@ docker_build_image_unb2_sim_merge:
   script:
 #    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh unb2-sim $tag
-docker_build_image_device_apsct_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/device-aspct.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-aspct $tag
 docker_build_image_device_apsct:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
   only:
@@ -357,15 +240,6 @@ docker_build_image_device_apsct:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-aspct $tag
 docker_build_image_device_apspu:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/device-apspu.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-apspu $tag
-docker_build_image_device_apspu_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -377,15 +251,6 @@ docker_build_image_device_apspu_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-apspu $tag
 docker_build_image_device_boot:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/device-boot.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-boot $tag
-docker_build_image_device_boot_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -397,15 +262,6 @@ docker_build_image_device_boot_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-boot $tag
 docker_build_image_device_docker:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/device-docker.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-docker $tag
-docker_build_image_device_docker_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -417,15 +273,6 @@ docker_build_image_device_docker_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-docker $tag
 docker_build_image_device_ovservation_control:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/device-observation_control.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-observation_control $tag
-docker_build_image_device_ovservation_control_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -437,15 +284,6 @@ docker_build_image_device_ovservation_control_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-observation_control $tag
 docker_build_image_device_recv:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/device-recv.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-recv $tag
-docker_build_image_device_recv_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -457,15 +295,6 @@ docker_build_image_device_recv_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-recv $tag
 docker_build_image_device_sdp:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/device-sdp.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-sdp $tag
-docker_build_image_device_sdp_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -477,15 +306,6 @@ docker_build_image_device_sdp_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-sdp $tag
 docker_build_image_device_sst:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/device-sst.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-sst $tag
-docker_build_image_device_sst_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -497,15 +317,6 @@ docker_build_image_device_sst_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-sst $tag
 docker_build_image_device_unb2:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/device-unb2.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-unb2 $tag
-docker_build_image_device_unb2_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
@@ -517,15 +328,6 @@ docker_build_image_device_unb2_merge:
     - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-unb2 $tag
 docker_build_image_device_xst:
   extends: .base_docker_images_except
-  only:
-    changes:
-      - docker-compose/device-xst.yml
-      - docker-compose/lofar-device-base/*
-  script:
-#    Do not remove 'bash' or statement will be ignored by primitive docker shell
-    - bash $CI_PROJECT_DIR/sbin/tag_and_push_docker_image.sh device-xst $tag
-docker_build_image_device_xst_merge:
-  extends: .base_docker_images_except_merge
   only:
     refs:
       - merge_requests