diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-test-and-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/build-test-and-publish.yml
index 27a7cf8..070153f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-test-and-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-test-and-publish.yml
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ jobs:
           PLATFORMS: linux/arm64,linux/amd64
           VERSION: ${{ github.event.inputs.version || '' }}
           SNAPSHOT: ${{ github.event.inputs.snapshot || '' }}
+          SNAPSHOT_TAG_BRANCH: ${{ github.event.release.target_commitish || github.ref_name }}
           DOCKERHUB_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
           DOCKERHUB_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_PASSWORD }}
           IMAGE_REPO_OPERATON: ${{ vars.IMAGE_REPO_OPERATON }}
diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
index 1aedf72..a0e49e8 100755
--- a/release.sh
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ tags=()
 
 if [ "${SNAPSHOT}" = "true" ]; then
     tags+=("${VERSION}-SNAPSHOT")
-    tags+=("SNAPSHOT")
+    SNAPSHOT_TAG_BRANCH="${SNAPSHOT_TAG_BRANCH:-${GITHUB_REF_NAME:-}}"
+    if [ "${SNAPSHOT_TAG_BRANCH}" = "main" ]; then
+        tags+=("SNAPSHOT")
+    fi
 else
     tags+=("${VERSION}")
     # Only add "latest" tag if VERSION matches semantic versioning pattern `major.minor.patch`
diff --git a/test/test-release-tags.sh b/test/test-release-tags.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c1e1d20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test-release-tags.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+MOCK_DIR="$(mktemp -d)"
+MOCK_DOCKER_CALLS="${MOCK_DIR}/docker-calls.log"
+trap 'rm -rf "${MOCK_DIR}"' EXIT
+
+cat > "${MOCK_DIR}/docker" <<'EOF'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+echo "$*" >> "${MOCK_DOCKER_CALLS}"
+if [ "$1" = "manifest" ] && [ "$2" = "inspect" ]; then
+  exit 1
+fi
+exit 0
+EOF
+chmod +x "${MOCK_DIR}/docker"
+
+run_release() {
+  local snapshot_tag_branch="$1"
+  : > "${MOCK_DOCKER_CALLS}"
+  PATH="${MOCK_DIR}:${PATH}" \
+    MOCK_DOCKER_CALLS="${MOCK_DOCKER_CALLS}" \
+    DISTRO="run" \
+    VERSION="1.2.3" \
+    SNAPSHOT="true" \
+    SNAPSHOT_TAG_BRANCH="${snapshot_tag_branch}" \
+    DOCKERHUB_USERNAME="user" \
+    DOCKERHUB_PASSWORD="pass" \
+    IMAGE_REPO_OPERATON="operaton/operaton" \
+    GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY="${MOCK_DIR}/summary.log" \
+    bash "${ROOT_DIR}/release.sh" > /dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+run_release "main"
+grep -q -- "--tag operaton/operaton:1.2.3-SNAPSHOT" "${MOCK_DOCKER_CALLS}"
+grep -q -- "--tag operaton/operaton:SNAPSHOT" "${MOCK_DOCKER_CALLS}"
+
+run_release "release/1.0.x"
+grep -q -- "--tag operaton/operaton:1.2.3-SNAPSHOT" "${MOCK_DOCKER_CALLS}"
+if grep -q -- "--tag operaton/operaton:SNAPSHOT" "${MOCK_DOCKER_CALLS}"; then
+  echo "SNAPSHOT tag must not be added for release branches"
+  exit 1
+fi