diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker_image_builder.yml b/.github/workflows/docker_image_builder.yml
index 8fbb465602..4e986aea6e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker_image_builder.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker_image_builder.yml
@@ -81,17 +81,30 @@ jobs:
             echo "otobo_commit=${{ github.sha }}"
           ) >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
-        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-
       - name: 'check out the relevant OTOBO branch'
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
+      -
+        # check whether an devel image must be built
+        uses: dorny/paths-filter@v3
+        id: changes
+        with:
+          base: "${{ github.ref_name }}"                     # e.g rel-10_0
+          filters: |
+            context:
+              - '${{ matrix.context }}/**'
+
+      -
+        name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        if:   steps.changes.outputs.context == 'true'
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
       -
         # Build the image but do not push it to Docker Hub yet.
         # Enable caching with Github Actions Cache, which is limited to 10 GB.
         # context: .  indicates that the current checkout is used
         name: Build
+        if:   steps.changes.outputs.context == 'true'
         uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
         with:
           load: true
@@ -113,13 +126,14 @@ jobs:
         # Show some files in the image just to check sanity.
         # otobo_first_time hasn't run yet, so /opt/otobo is still empty
         name: Info
-        if: ${{ matrix.dockerfile == 'otobo.web.dockerfile' }}
+        if:   ${{ steps.changes.outputs.context == 'true' && matrix.dockerfile == 'otobo.web.dockerfile' }}
         run: |
           docker run --rm -w /opt/otobo_install/otobo_next --entrypoint /bin/bash $otobo_ref -c "more git-repo.txt git-branch.txt git-commit.txt RELEASE | cat"
 
       -
         # login to Docker Hub before pushing to Docker Hub
         name: Login to Docker Hub
+        if:   steps.changes.outputs.context == 'true'
         uses: docker/login-action@v3
         with:
           username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
@@ -129,6 +143,7 @@ jobs:
         # finally upload to DockerHub
         # the built image is already available in the job
         name: Push to DockerHub
+        if:   steps.changes.outputs.context == 'true'
         uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
         with:
           push: true