diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 1937d97cc70..56dd273d527 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -81,11 +81,16 @@ workflow:
     - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH =~ /^gh-readonly-queue\//'
       when: never
     - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "master"'
+      variables:
+        SYSTEM_TESTS_RUN_ALL_VMS: "true"
       auto_cancel:
         on_new_commit: none
     - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH =~ /^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$/'
       auto_cancel:
         on_new_commit: none
+    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH =~ /^mq-working-branch-/'
+      variables:
+        SYSTEM_TESTS_RUN_ALL_VMS: "true"
     - when: always
 
 .test_matrix: &test_matrix
@@ -1404,7 +1409,7 @@ publishing-gate:
 
 configure_system_tests:
   variables:
-    SYSTEM_TESTS_REF: "main" # system tests are pinned on release branches only
+    SYSTEM_TESTS_REF: "sarahchen6/allow-repos-to-run-all-VMs" # REVERT BEFORE MERGING
     SYSTEM_TESTS_SCENARIOS_GROUPS: "simple_onboarding,simple_onboarding_profiling,simple_onboarding_appsec,docker-ssi,lib-injection"
 
 create_key: