diff --git a/scripts/push-docker-image.sh b/scripts/push-docker-image.sh
index 7059449f6..4810aaf0f 100755
--- a/scripts/push-docker-image.sh
+++ b/scripts/push-docker-image.sh
@@ -8,16 +8,24 @@ set -u
 
 CPU_ARCHS="amd64 arm64 arm"
 
+# Use branch name as dev image tags
+export TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/heads/}"
+
 # Push `-dev` images unless commit is tagged
 export REPO="${REPO:-"quay.io/prometheus-operator/prometheus-operator-dev"}"
 export REPO_PROMETHEUS_CONFIG_RELOADER="${REPO_PROMETHEUS_CONFIG_RELOADER:-"quay.io/prometheus-operator/prometheus-config-reloader-dev"}"
-if git describe --exact-match; then
+
+# If TAG is not a branch name, push tagged release
+if [[ ! "${TAG}" =~ ^refs ]]; then
+	export TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
+	export REPO="quay.io/prometheus-operator/prometheus-operator"
+	export REPO_PROMETHEUS_CONFIG_RELOADER="quay.io/prometheus-operator/prometheus-config-reloader"
+fi
+
+# Push mutable `master` tag to main repositories
+if [ "${TAG}" == "master" ]; then
 	export REPO="quay.io/prometheus-operator/prometheus-operator"
 	export REPO_PROMETHEUS_CONFIG_RELOADER="quay.io/prometheus-operator/prometheus-config-reloader"
-	export TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
-else
-	# Use branch name as dev image tags
-	TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/heads/}"
 fi
 
 for arch in ${CPU_ARCHS}; do