diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a7159db0c79f78d703b3f5cf7d076674391e12aa..4e5cf4edc1a9f1c18514aae6ca1cb2de881c6e59 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -56,9 +56,6 @@ workflow:
     # see https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/yaml/workflow.html#switch-between-branch-pipelines-and-merge-request-pipelines
     - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH && $CI_OPEN_MERGE_REQUESTS && $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "push"
       when: never
-    # do not spawn pipelines for Draft MRs, see https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/yaml/workflow.html#skip-pipelines-for-draft-merge-requests
-    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event" && $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TITLE =~ /^(\[Draft\]|\(Draft\)|Draft:)/
-      when: never
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event'
       variables:
         IVAS_PIPELINE_NAME: 'MR pipeline: $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_SOURCE_BRANCH_NAME'
@@ -404,9 +401,20 @@ stages:
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push'
       when: never
 
+.rules-merge-request-no-draft:
+  extends: .rules-basis
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TITLE =~ /^(\[Draft\]|\(Draft\)|Draft:)/
+      when: never
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event'
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push'
+      when: never
+
 .rules-merge-request-to-float-pc:
   extends: .rules-basis
   rules:
+    - if: $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TITLE =~ /^(\[Draft\]|\(Draft\)|Draft:)/
+      when: never
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event' && $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "float-pc"
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push'
       when: never
@@ -820,6 +828,19 @@ branch-is-up-to-date-with-target-post:
         exit 1
       fi
 
+# fail pipeline in the final stage for pipelines on Draft MRs
+# this also only runs on Draft MRs, so should always fail
+fail-pipeline-if-in-draft:
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event' && $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TITLE =~ /^(\[Draft\]|\(Draft\)|Draft:)/
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push'
+      when: never
+  stage: postvalidate
+  tags:
+    - ivas-linux
+  script:
+    - echo "Your MR is still in Draft state, set it to ready to be mergable, then retrigger the pipeline."
+    - exit 1
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------
 # verification jobs
@@ -1418,6 +1439,8 @@ be-2-evs-26444:
   extends:
     - .test-job-linux
   rules:
+    - if: $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TITLE =~ /^(\[Draft\]|\(Draft\)|Draft:)/
+      when: never
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'web' && $MANUAL_PIPELINE_TYPE == "evs-26444"
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event' (&& $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "main" || $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "main-pc" )
   tags:
@@ -1469,15 +1492,10 @@ ivas-pytest-renderer:
 # Various other tests
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------
 
-# TODO: actually run on MR once main problems are fixed
 voip-be-on-merge-request:
   extends:
     - .test-job-linux-needs-testv-dir
-  rules:
-    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'web' && $MANUAL_PIPELINE_TYPE == "voip-be-test"
-    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event' && $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "float-pc"
-    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push'
-      when: never
+    - .rules-merge-request-to-float-pc
   stage: test
   needs: ["build-codec-linux-make"]
   timeout: "10 minutes"
@@ -1496,7 +1514,7 @@ voip-be-on-merge-request:
 codec-smoke-test:
   extends:
     - .test-job-linux-needs-testv-dir
-    - .rules-merge-request
+    - .rules-merge-request-no-draft
   timeout: "20 minutes"
   tags:
     - ivas-basop-linux
@@ -1747,7 +1765,7 @@ renderer-usan:
 renderer-pytest-on-merge-request:
   extends:
     - .test-job-linux-needs-testv-dir
-    - .rules-merge-request
+    - .rules-merge-request-to-float-pc
   needs: ["build-codec-linux-make"]
   # TODO: set reasonable timeout, will most likely take less
   timeout: "20 minutes"
@@ -1788,7 +1806,7 @@ renderer-pytest-on-merge-request:
 ivas-pytest-on-merge-request:
   extends:
     - .test-job-linux-needs-testv-dir
-    - .rules-merge-request
+    - .rules-merge-request-to-float-pc
   stage: compare
   # note: this step doesn't really depend on codec-smoke-test
   # it's just pointless to run this step when the smoke test fails and the smoke test should be reasonably fast