diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-amd64.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-amd64.yaml
index d2dac9d4b..519d6c1a7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-amd64.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-amd64.yaml
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ jobs:
           retention-days: 15
           if-no-files-found: error
 
-  # We don't need the binaries installed in the rootfs as part of the tarball, so can delete them now we've built the rootfs
+  # We don't need the binaries installed in the rootfs as part of the release tarball, so can delete them now we've built the rootfs
   remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     needs: build-asset-rootfs
@@ -212,12 +212,13 @@ jobs:
           - pause-image
     steps:
       - uses: geekyeggo/delete-artifact@v5
+        if: ${{ inputs.stage == 'release' }}
         with:
           name: kata-artifacts-amd64-${{ matrix.asset}}${{ inputs.tarball-suffix }}
 
   build-asset-shim-v2:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
-    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs]
+    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs, remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts]
     steps:
       - name: Login to Kata Containers quay.io
         if: ${{ inputs.push-to-registry == 'yes' }}
@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@ jobs:
 
   create-kata-tarball:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
-    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs, build-asset-shim-v2, remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts]
+    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs, build-asset-shim-v2]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-arm64.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-arm64.yaml
index b8adde4c2..7385c0265 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-arm64.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-arm64.yaml
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ jobs:
           retention-days: 15
           if-no-files-found: error
 
-  # We don't need the binaries installed in the rootfs as part of the tarball, so can delete them now we've built the rootfs
+  # We don't need the binaries installed in the rootfs as part of the release tarball, so can delete them now we've built the rootfs
   remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     needs: build-asset-rootfs
@@ -150,12 +150,13 @@ jobs:
           - agent
     steps:
       - uses: geekyeggo/delete-artifact@v5
+        if: ${{ inputs.stage == 'release' }}
         with:
           name: kata-artifacts-arm64-${{ matrix.asset}}${{ inputs.tarball-suffix }}
 
   build-asset-shim-v2:
     runs-on: arm64-builder
-    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs]
+    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs, remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts]
     steps:
       - name: Login to Kata Containers quay.io
         if: ${{ inputs.push-to-registry == 'yes' }}
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@ jobs:
 
   create-kata-tarball:
     runs-on: arm64-builder
-    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs, build-asset-shim-v2, remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts]
+    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs, build-asset-shim-v2]
     steps:
       - name: Adjust a permission for repo
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-ppc64le.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-ppc64le.yaml
index 5f552b0db..8a0cf7cd0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-ppc64le.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-ppc64le.yaml
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ jobs:
           retention-days: 1
           if-no-files-found: error
 
-  # We don't need the binaries installed in the rootfs as part of the tarball, so can delete them now we've built the rootfs
+  # We don't need the binaries installed in the rootfs as part of the release tarball, so can delete them now we've built the rootfs
   remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     needs: build-asset-rootfs
@@ -158,12 +158,13 @@ jobs:
           - agent
     steps:
       - uses: geekyeggo/delete-artifact@v5
+        if: ${{ inputs.stage == 'release' }}
         with:
           name: kata-artifacts-ppc64le-${{ matrix.asset}}${{ inputs.tarball-suffix }}
 
   build-asset-shim-v2:
     runs-on: ppc64le
-    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs]
+    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs, remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts]
     steps:
       - name: Prepare the self-hosted runner
         run: |
@@ -223,7 +224,7 @@ jobs:
 
   create-kata-tarball:
     runs-on: ppc64le
-    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs, build-asset-shim-v2, remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts]
+    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs, build-asset-shim-v2]
     steps:
       - name: Adjust a permission for repo
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-s390x.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-s390x.yaml
index 699e9598f..8443cea76 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-s390x.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-kata-static-tarball-s390x.yaml
@@ -216,10 +216,10 @@ jobs:
           retention-days: 1
           if-no-files-found: error
 
-  # We don't need the binaries installed in the rootfs as part of the tarball, so can delete them now we've built the rootfs
+  # We don't need the binaries installed in the rootfs as part of the release tarball, so can delete them now we've built the rootfs
   remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
-    needs: build-asset-rootfs
+    needs: [build-asset-rootfs, build-asset-boot-image-se]
     strategy:
       matrix:
         asset:
@@ -228,12 +228,13 @@ jobs:
           - pause-image
     steps:
       - uses: geekyeggo/delete-artifact@v5
+        if: ${{ inputs.stage == 'release' }}
         with:
           name: kata-artifacts-s390x-${{ matrix.asset}}${{ inputs.tarball-suffix }}
 
   build-asset-shim-v2:
     runs-on: s390x
-    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs]
+    needs: [build-asset, build-asset-rootfs, remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts]
     steps:
       - name: Login to Kata Containers quay.io
         if: ${{ inputs.push-to-registry == 'yes' }}
@@ -295,7 +296,6 @@ jobs:
       - build-asset-rootfs
       - build-asset-boot-image-se
       - build-asset-shim-v2
-      - remove-rootfs-binary-artifacts
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with: