diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 7e554fd00279026f42e4269f2a771dd1dd6abf9d..ac425ccffc7a58a66ec11f2175a2f2e99987ee5d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 image: eicweb.phy.anl.gov:4567/containers/image_recipes/ubuntu_dind:latest
 
 stages:
-  - init
   - builder
   - config
   - slim
@@ -40,20 +39,21 @@ default:
 
 ## Stable or unstable branch?
 init:stable:
-  stage: init
+  stage: .pre
   rules:
     - if: '$CI_COMMIT_TAG || $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "master"'
       when: always
   script:
     - touch .ci-env/release
 init:unstable:
+  stage: .pre
   rules:
     - if: '$CI_COMMIT_TAG == null && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH != "master"'
       when: always
   script:
     - touch .ci-env/develop
 init:builder-nc:
-  stage: init
+  stage: .pre
   rules:
     - changes:
         - containers/builder/Dockerfile
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ init:builder-nc:
   script:
     - touch .ci-env/builder-nc
 init:release-nc:
-  stage: init
+  stage: .pre
   rules:
     - changes:
         - containers/release/Dockerfile.in