diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index 9af2ba60..42dcb2a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
           REGISTRY: //gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/37663507/packages/npm/
       - run: |
           # set version from timestamp if current branch is main
-          if [ "${GITHUB_REF}" = "refs/heads/main" || "${GITHUB_REF}" = "refs/heads/release" ]; then
+          if [ "${{ github.ref }}" = "main" or "${{ github.ref }}" = "release" ]; then
               Version=1.0.0-alpha.$(date +"%Y%m%d%H%M%S")
           else
               Version=$(git describe --tags --abbrev=0)