diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yaml b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
index 69c52ecd..dc7c0f4d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
-      - release-*
+      - release
 
 permissions: read-all
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
index c62c49d2..cd5e8a3f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ name: CodeQL
 
 on:
   push:
-    branches: [ main ]
+    branches: [ release ]
   schedule:
     - cron: '45 10 * * 1'
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/donotsubmit.yaml b/.github/workflows/donotsubmit.yaml
index 689e2726..6e6067a8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/donotsubmit.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/donotsubmit.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: Do Not Submit
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ 'main', 'release-*' ]
+    branches: [ 'main', 'release' ]
 
 permissions: read-all
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-no-tuf.yaml b/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-no-tuf.yaml
index 12a3804c..062644b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-no-tuf.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-no-tuf.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ name: Test policy-controller with ClusterImagePolicy TUF disabled
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ 'main', 'release-*' ]
+    branches: [ 'main', 'release' ]
 
 defaults:
   run:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-resync-period.yaml b/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-resync-period.yaml
index 08651d1b..a1a190b8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-resync-period.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-resync-period.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ name: Test policy-controller with ClusterImagePolicy resync period
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ 'main', 'release-*' ]
+    branches: [ 'main', 'release' ]
 
 defaults:
   run:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-trustroot.yaml b/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-trustroot.yaml
index 44ac0799..9600f124 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-trustroot.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-trustroot.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ name: Test policy-controller with TrustRoot - Bring your own keys
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ 'main', 'release-*' ]
+    branches: [ 'main', 'release' ]
 
 defaults:
   run:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-tsa.yaml b/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-tsa.yaml
index 9f664c2f..29a93b4b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-tsa.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy-tsa.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ name: Test policy-controller with TSA
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ 'main', 'release-*' ]
+    branches: [ 'main', 'release' ]
 
 defaults:
   run:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy.yaml b/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy.yaml
index 3428a654..ec38138b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kind-cluster-image-policy.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ name: Test policy-controller with ClusterImagePolicy
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ 'main', 'release-*' ]
+    branches: [ 'main', 'release' ]
 
 defaults:
   run:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/kind-e2e-cosigned.yaml b/.github/workflows/kind-e2e-cosigned.yaml
index b895a8ea..c26b095c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kind-e2e-cosigned.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kind-e2e-cosigned.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ name: Policy Controller KinD E2E
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ 'main', 'release-*' ]
+    branches: [ 'main', 'release' ]
 
 permissions: read-all
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/kind-e2e-trustroot-crd.yaml b/.github/workflows/kind-e2e-trustroot-crd.yaml
index 72f79493..8bb4a41f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kind-e2e-trustroot-crd.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kind-e2e-trustroot-crd.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ name: TrustRoot CRD KinD E2E
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ 'main', 'release-*' ]
+    branches: [ 'main', 'release' ]
 
 permissions: read-all
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/policy-tester-examples.yml b/.github/workflows/policy-tester-examples.yml
index 39775173..f0faf40a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/policy-tester-examples.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/policy-tester-examples.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ name: Verify examples using policy-tester
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
   push:
-    branches: ['main', 'release-*']
+    branches: ['main', 'release']
   pull_request:
 
 jobs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/style.yaml b/.github/workflows/style.yaml
index a7210584..ef10746f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/style.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/style.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: Code Style
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ 'main', 'release-*' ]
+    branches: [ 'main', 'release' ]
 
 permissions: read-all
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
index e10b124c..03120614 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ name: CI-Tests
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
   push:
-    branches: ['main', 'release-*']
+    branches: ['main', 'release']
   pull_request:
 
 permissions: read-all
diff --git a/.github/workflows/verify-codegen.yaml b/.github/workflows/verify-codegen.yaml
index efe2e403..f5bb4c4a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verify-codegen.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verify-codegen.yaml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ name: Codegen
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
   push:
-    branches: ['main', 'release-*']
+    branches: ['main', 'release']
   pull_request:
 
 permissions: read-all
diff --git a/.github/workflows/verify-docs.yaml b/.github/workflows/verify-docs.yaml
index 8e3b9c8a..ce4d6fb0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verify-docs.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verify-docs.yaml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ name: API Docs Generator
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
   push:
-    branches: ['main', 'release-*']
+    branches: ['main', 'release']
   pull_request:
 
 permissions: read-all
diff --git a/.github/workflows/whitespace.yaml b/.github/workflows/whitespace.yaml
index e93ee34f..b2ff8dd3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/whitespace.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/whitespace.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: Whitespace
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ 'main', 'release-*' ]
+    branches: [ 'main', 'release' ]
 
 permissions: read-all