diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 4f3b58abd75b24f62fd87b425230eed16a5a4c4d..78cf5825281c9ad20134634abc82c79d402de061 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ stages:
   - trigger pipelines
 
 variables:
+  DUMUX_DOCKER_CI_BRANCH: master
   IMAGE_REGISTRY_URL: $CI_REGISTRY/dumux-repositories/dumux-docker-ci
   DUMUX_CI_DUNE_LATEST_RELEASE: "2.9"
 
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ variables:
 # pipeline on a related merge request already. If yes, we simply return
 # to propagate that pipeline status on master. Otherwise, we trigger a new run.
 check-pipeline-status:
-  image: $IMAGE_REGISTRY_URL/full:dune-2.9-gcc-ubuntu-22.04
+  image: $IMAGE_REGISTRY_URL/${DUMUX_DOCKER_CI_BRANCH}_full:dune-2.9-gcc-ubuntu-22.04
   stage: check-status
   rules:
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule"
@@ -85,4 +86,4 @@ check-pipeline-status:
 full-dune-latest-release-gcc:
   extends: .default-trigger
   variables:
-    IMAGE: $IMAGE_REGISTRY_URL/full:dune-$DUMUX_CI_DUNE_LATEST_RELEASE-gcc-ubuntu-22.04
+    IMAGE: $IMAGE_REGISTRY_URL/${DUMUX_DOCKER_CI_BRANCH}_full:dune-$DUMUX_CI_DUNE_LATEST_RELEASE-gcc-ubuntu-22.04