diff --git a/.github/workflows/pipeline.yaml b/.github/workflows/pipeline.yaml
index a84cb1b..96716ac 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pipeline.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pipeline.yaml
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ env:
 jobs:
   pre-commit-tests:
     uses: ./.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml
-    if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
     name: Enforce commit standards
     secrets: inherit
     permissions:
@@ -45,20 +44,26 @@ jobs:
       contents: read
 
   deploy-infrastructure:
-    if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
-
     name: Deploy infrastructure
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+
       - uses: aws-actions/setup-sam@v2
+        if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+
         with:
           use-installer: true
 
       - name: Build resources
+        if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+
         run: sam build --template ${SAM_TEMPLATE} --use-container
 
       - name: Assume the testing pipeline user role
+        if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+
         uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v1-node16
         with:
           aws-access-key-id: ${{ env.PIPELINE_USER_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
@@ -70,6 +75,8 @@ jobs:
           role-skip-session-tagging: true
 
       - name: Upload artifacts
+        if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+
         run: |
           sam package \
             --s3-bucket ${TESTING_ARTIFACTS_BUCKET} \
@@ -77,15 +84,21 @@ jobs:
             --output-template-file packaged-testing.yaml
 
       - name: Validate artifacts
+        if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+
         run: |
           sam validate --lint -t packaged-testing.yaml
 
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+
         with:
           name: packaged-testing.yaml
           path: packaged-testing.yaml
 
-      - name: Deploy to feature stack
+      - name: Deploy to stack
+        if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+
         shell: bash
         run: |
           sam deploy \
@@ -98,9 +111,12 @@ jobs:
               --role-arn ${TESTING_CLOUDFORMATION_EXECUTION_ROLE} \
               --parameter-overrides ResourceSuffix=Publish
 
+      - name: Skip tests if release commit
+        if: "contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+        run: echo "Skipping tests for release commit"
+
   run-tests:
     needs: [deploy-infrastructure, pre-commit-tests]
-    if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
     name: Run pytest CI/CD tests
     strategy:
       matrix:
@@ -111,6 +127,7 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
     - name: Assume the testing pipeline user role
+      if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
       uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v1-node16
       with:
         aws-access-key-id: ${{ env.PIPELINE_USER_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
@@ -125,8 +142,10 @@ jobs:
       #       check-out repo and set-up python
       #----------------------------------------------
     - name: Check out repository
+      if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - name: Set up python
+      if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
       id: setup-python
       uses: actions/setup-python@v4
       with:
@@ -135,7 +154,7 @@ jobs:
       #  -----  install & configure poetry  -----
       #----------------------------------------------
     - name: Install Poetry
-
+      if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
       uses: snok/install-poetry@v1
       with:
         virtualenvs-create: true
@@ -146,6 +165,8 @@ jobs:
       #       load cached venv if cache exists
       #----------------------------------------------
     - name: Load cached venv
+      if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+
       id: cached-poetry-dependencies
       uses: actions/cache@v3
       with:
@@ -155,21 +176,27 @@ jobs:
       # install dependencies if cache does not exist
       #----------------------------------------------
     - name: Install dependencies
-      if: steps.cached-poetry-dependencies.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+      if: "steps.cached-poetry-dependencies.outputs.cache-hit != 'true' && !contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
       run: poetry install --no-interaction --no-root
       #----------------------------------------------
       # install your root project, if required
       #----------------------------------------------
     - name: Install project
+      if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
       run: poetry install --no-interaction
 
       #----------------------------------------------
       #              run test suite
       #----------------------------------------------
     - name: Test with pytest
+      if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
       run: |
         poetry run pytest tests -m ci_cd
 
+    - name: Skip tests if release commit
+      if: "contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')"
+      run: echo "Skipping tests for release commit"
+
   publish-prerelease:
     if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/dev'
     needs: [run-tests]
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 33cf065..80ab6bd 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -73,8 +73,23 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file. See
 
 
 
+## v0.23.0-dev.8 (2023-11-10)
+
+### Fix
+
+* fix: skipping unnecessary steps in pipeline ([`6cff920`](https://github.com/svange/openbrain/commit/6cff92072b366d2628d0694cf5267007cf0deb91))
+
+* fix: skipping unnecessary steps in pipeline ([`1c371d9`](https://github.com/svange/openbrain/commit/1c371d9c5dccd286b1913f301d970d53be9714e6))
+
+* fix: skipping unnecessary steps in pipeline ([`4e3a67f`](https://github.com/svange/openbrain/commit/4e3a67f2dca2f6cb453d8cbcb5e5f8063c0253a1))
+
+
 ## v0.23.0-dev.7 (2023-11-10)
 
+### Chore
+
+* chore(release): release 0.23.0-dev.7 ([`b1d4f0d`](https://github.com/svange/openbrain/commit/b1d4f0d8e6fe9abc7236eca6f42ee2c7b04383e8))
+
 ### Fix
 
 * fix: tuning ci pipeline ([`7f9df0d`](https://github.com/svange/openbrain/commit/7f9df0d740bead7856b52a02d4ff37bd92b2ebe1))