diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index bfccbb93bd86a90e4bca6a8f2d44d87c9f836a8f..4c54fc98e91f9b151f447059816f34f9c7f3f454 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -47,13 +47,22 @@ publish:
     - echo "@peerverity:registry=${NPM_REGISTRY}" >> .npmrc
     - echo "//${CI_SERVER_HOST}/api/v4/projects/${CI_PROJECT_ID}/packages/npm/:_authToken=${CI_JOB_TOKEN}" >> .npmrc
   script:
-    - npm publish
+    - |
+      PACKAGE_NAME=$(node -p "require('./package.json').name")
+      PACKAGE_VERSION=$(node -p "require('./package.json').version")
+      echo "Checking if ${PACKAGE_NAME}@${PACKAGE_VERSION} already exists..."
+
+      # Check if version exists in registry (npm view exits 0 if found)
+      if npm view "${PACKAGE_NAME}@${PACKAGE_VERSION}" version 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "Version ${PACKAGE_VERSION} already published, skipping."
+      else
+        echo "Publishing ${PACKAGE_NAME}@${PACKAGE_VERSION}..."
+        npm publish
+      fi
   rules:
-    # Automatically publish on main branch
+    # Only publish on main branch
     - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME == "main"'
       when: on_success
-    # Allow manual publish on other branches
-    - when: manual
   tags:
     - public-runner-docker