diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a200ce4769e309b69fd8b230bc68f13ce94be951..568d9ccf389b49d86ad7bc7f1256659c5d7190d2 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ trigger-opc-ua-test:
 #    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"'
 
     rules:
-        - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"'
+        - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event'
         changes:
             - applications/lofar2/images/lofar2_unb2b_sdp_station_full.tar.gz