diff --git a/test-and-deploy.yml b/test-and-deploy.yml
index 67d15c428847e3c5a1670d58c9e367c9b1df05b7..5ec98872d9c698338b6819363f0b833de65954c8 100644
--- a/test-and-deploy.yml
+++ b/test-and-deploy.yml
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ stages:
     INITIALINSTALL="no"
     if [[ "$CI_COMMIT_MESSAGE" == *"[INITIAL_INSTALL]"* ]]; then
       INITIALINSTALL="yes"
+    elif [[ "$INITIAL_INSTALL" == "yes" ]]; then
+      INITIALINSTALL="yes"
     fi
     echo "INITIALINSTALL=${INITIALINSTALL}" >> validation.env
   except: