diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 72ee04ca..ce90c650 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ endif
 endif
 ifndef TAG
 override TAG=$(SHA)
+override DO_NOT_PUBLISH=1
 endif
 
 docker-build: set-tag
@@ -94,12 +95,16 @@ docker-build: set-tag
 	docker build -t $(IMAGE):$(TAG) -f ./admiral/docker/Dockerfile.admiral .
 
 docker-publish:
+ifndef DO_NOT_PUBLISH
 	echo "$(DOCKER_PASS)" | docker login -u $(DOCKER_USER) --password-stdin
+endif
 ifeq ($(TAG),)
 	echo "This is not a Tag/Release, skipping docker publish"
 else
+ifndef DO_NOT_PUBLISH
 	docker push $(IMAGE):$(TAG)
 endif
+endif
 #no tag set and its master branch, in this case publish `latest` tag
 ifeq ($(TAG),)
 ifeq ($(BRANCH),master)