diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-kata-images.yaml b/.github/workflows/release-kata-images.yaml
index 20bcfcc285..b4e03ff2c6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-kata-images.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-kata-images.yaml
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ jobs:
           TAGS: ${{ needs.resolve-tags.outputs.tags }}
           REGISTRIES: ${{ inputs.registries }}
         run: |
+          # kata-monitor has no job-dispatcher sidecar image, so opt out of the
+          # kata-deploy-specific dispatcher manifest derivation.
           KATA_DEPLOY_IMAGE_TAGS="${TAGS}" \
           KATA_DEPLOY_REGISTRIES="${REGISTRIES}" \
+          KATA_DEPLOY_PUBLISH_JOB_DISPATCHER="false" \
           ./tools/packaging/release/release.sh publish-multiarch-manifest
diff --git a/tools/packaging/release/release.sh b/tools/packaging/release/release.sh
index d717977747..020ebb47f8 100755
--- a/tools/packaging/release/release.sh
+++ b/tools/packaging/release/release.sh
@@ -151,13 +151,18 @@ function _publish_multiarch_manifest()
 	_check_required_env_var "KATA_DEPLOY_IMAGE_TAGS"
 	_check_required_env_var "KATA_DEPLOY_REGISTRIES"
 
-	# The dispatcher is shipped as a separate, minimal image alongside kata-deploy
-	# with the same tags. When no dedicated registries are given, derive them from
-	# each kata-deploy registry by inserting "-job-dispatcher" before any "-ci"
+	# The dispatcher is a kata-deploy-specific sidecar image, shipped alongside
+	# kata-deploy with the same tags. It does not exist for other images (e.g.
+	# kata-monitor), so callers publishing a non-kata-deploy manifest must opt
+	# out by setting KATA_DEPLOY_PUBLISH_JOB_DISPATCHER=false.
+	#
+	# When enabled and no dedicated registries are given, derive them from each
+	# kata-deploy registry by inserting "-job-dispatcher" before any "-ci"
 	# suffix, so the "-ci" stays last:
 	#   .../kata-deploy     -> .../kata-deploy-job-dispatcher
 	#   .../kata-deploy-ci  -> .../kata-deploy-job-dispatcher-ci
-	if [[ ${#JOB_DISPATCHER_REGISTRIES[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
+	if [[ "${KATA_DEPLOY_PUBLISH_JOB_DISPATCHER:-true}" == "true" \
+		&& ${#JOB_DISPATCHER_REGISTRIES[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
 		JOB_DISPATCHER_REGISTRIES=()
 		for registry in "${REGISTRIES[@]}"; do
 			if [[ "${registry}" == *-ci ]]; then