diff --git a/qt6-after/qt6-migrated-legatus/new_docker_build.sh b/qt6-after/qt6-migrated-legatus/new_docker_build.sh
index 327be708e..fb4176478 100755
--- a/qt6-after/qt6-migrated-legatus/new_docker_build.sh
+++ b/qt6-after/qt6-migrated-legatus/new_docker_build.sh
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ Environment variable overrides:
   BUILD_GROUP9=ON|OFF
   BUILD_GROUP10=ON|OFF
   BUILD_GROUP11=ON|OFF
-  RUN_CTEST=ON|OFF
+  RUN_CTEST=ON|OFF (automatically OFF for RELEASE_BUILD=ON)
   TESTS_ONLY=ON|OFF
   INTEGRATION_TEST=ON|OFF
   USE_PREBUILT_IMAGE=ON|OFF
@@ -1123,6 +1123,11 @@ if [[ "$TESTS_ONLY" == "ON" ]]; then
   RUN_CTEST=ON
 fi
 
+# Release builds skip CTest (tests not in release scope)
+if [[ "$RELEASE_BUILD" == "ON" ]]; then
+  RUN_CTEST=OFF
+fi
+
 log_info "BUILD_RTI=${BUILD_RTI}"
 log_group "Build Group 1 (ddscore ddsftccore ddsQoS ddsconnector ddsfts)" "$BUILD_GROUP1"
 log_group "Build Group 2 (migration_tests)" "$BUILD_GROUP2"