diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 1937d97cc70..114014f5444 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ include:
 
 stages:
   - build
+  - shared-pipeline-system-tests
   - publish
   - java-spring-petclinic-parallel
   - java-spring-petclinic-parallel-slo
@@ -1227,7 +1228,10 @@ deploy_to_di_backend:manual:
 deploy_to_maven_central:
   extends: .gradle_build
   stage: publish
-  needs: [ build ]
+  needs:
+    - build
+    - job: system_tests
+      optional: true
   variables:
     CACHE_TYPE: "lib"
   rules:
@@ -1322,6 +1326,7 @@ requirements_json_test:
     REQUIREMENTS_ALLOW_JSON_PATH: "metadata/requirements-allow.json"
 
 package-oci:
+  stage: shared-pipeline-system-tests
   needs: [ build ]
 
 override_verify_maven_central:
@@ -1403,10 +1408,28 @@ publishing-gate:
       optional: true # Required for releases only
 
 configure_system_tests:
+  stage: shared-pipeline-system-tests
   variables:
     SYSTEM_TESTS_REF: "main" # system tests are pinned on release branches only
     SYSTEM_TESTS_SCENARIOS_GROUPS: "simple_onboarding,simple_onboarding_profiling,simple_onboarding_appsec,docker-ssi,lib-injection"
 
+# Restage from default `shared-pipeline` to local `shared-pipeline-system-tests`
+# Run before the `publish` stage so that Maven/GitHub publishing can depend on system-tests results
+system_tests:
+  stage: shared-pipeline-system-tests
+
+oci-internal-publish:
+  stage: shared-pipeline-system-tests
+
+oci-internal-test-publish:
+  stage: shared-pipeline-system-tests
+
+kubernetes-injection-test-ecr-publish:
+  stage: shared-pipeline-system-tests
+
+create-multiarch-lib-injection-image:
+  stage: shared-pipeline-system-tests
+
 create_key:
   stage: generate-signing-key
   when: manual