diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 259a7d8af378da8f271674aee54a593cdef502d4..21a5d0a49d67078a7161cd8119f125727bb04362 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ build:
   rules:
     # Always run the stage for the 'dev' branch
     - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME == "dev"'
-    # For Merge Requests, make the stage manual
+    # For Merge Requests, make the stage manual (and optional)
     - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"'
       when: manual
+      allow_failure: true
     # Otherwise, skip the stage
     - when: never    
   needs: []
@@ -197,9 +198,10 @@ deploy-10-dev:
   rules:
     # Always run the stage for the 'dev' branch
     - if: '$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME == "dev"'
-    # For Merge Requests, make the stage manual
+    # For Merge Requests, make the stage manual (and optional)
     - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"'
       when: manual
+      allow_failure: true
     # Otherwise, skip the stage
     - when: never    
   needs: ['test', 'build']