diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 443626bdb5ba9916680d507286c0ca1b70d015c4..afee14f8d266872a8d6e8830dee2723319e9268b 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ include:
     file: '/scripts/ci-helpers/prepare_data_image_job.yml'
   - project: 'hive/common-ci-configuration'
     ref: d4e29410ea168096e1a822f77c7ce741d9cfb57a
-    file: '/templates/python_projects.gitlab-ci.yml'
+    file:
+      - '/templates/python_projects.gitlab-ci.yml'
+      - '/templates/docker_image_jobs.gitlab-ci.yml'
 
 image: ${CI_BASE_IMAGE}
 
@@ -343,6 +345,13 @@ build_and_push_clive_testnet_image:
 build_and_push_clive_stable_image:
   extends: .prepare_clive_stable_image
 
+# this job is responsible for publishing official docker images specific to protected tags (usually made for release versions)
+build_and_publish_image:
+  stage: build_and_deploy_docker
+  extends: .publish_docker_image_template
+  script:
+    - scripts/ci-helpers/build_and_publish_instance.sh
+
 generate_clive_develop_startup_scripts:
   extends: .generate_clive_startup_scripts_base
   only:
diff --git a/scripts/ci-helpers/build_and_publish_instance.sh b/scripts/ci-helpers/build_and_publish_instance.sh
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..e8309d13197da3170b8cae583243e9a8e2c6e93e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/ci-helpers/build_and_publish_instance.sh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../hive/scripts/ci-helpers/build_and_publish_instance.sh
\ No newline at end of file