diff --git a/pkg/config/defaults.go b/pkg/config/defaults.go
index cc0a780..895d667 100644
--- a/pkg/config/defaults.go
+++ b/pkg/config/defaults.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ func newDefaults(project Project) Config {
 		Branches: Branches{
 			Main:        "main",
 			ReleaseNext: "release-next",
-			SynchCI:     "ci/",
 			ReleaseTemplates: ReleaseTemplates{
 				Upstream:   releaseTemplate,
 				Downstream: releaseTemplate,
diff --git a/pkg/config/structure.go b/pkg/config/structure.go
index 996e5ef..6d4a4bd 100644
--- a/pkg/config/structure.go
+++ b/pkg/config/structure.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ type Messages struct {
 type Branches struct {
 	Main             string `json:"main"             valid:"required"`
 	ReleaseNext      string `json:"releaseNext"      valid:"required"`
-	SynchCI          string `json:"synchCi"          valid:"required"`
+	SyncCi           string `json:"syncCi"`
 	ReleaseTemplates `json:"releaseTemplates"`
 	Searches         `json:"searches"`
 }
diff --git a/pkg/sync/create_pr.go b/pkg/sync/create_pr.go
index 87d6b53..254161a 100644
--- a/pkg/sync/create_pr.go
+++ b/pkg/sync/create_pr.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ func (o Operation) createSyncReleaseNextPR() error {
 		o.triggerCIMessage(),
 		fmt.Sprintf(o.Config.Messages.TriggerCIBody, branches.ReleaseNext, branches.Main),
 		branches.ReleaseNext,
-		branches.SynchCI+branches.ReleaseNext,
+		branches.SyncCi+branches.ReleaseNext,
 	)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/sync/resync_releases.go b/pkg/sync/resync_releases.go
index 8cb4297..6a2f268 100644
--- a/pkg/sync/resync_releases.go
+++ b/pkg/sync/resync_releases.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func (r resyncRelease) run() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, ErrSyncFailed)
 	}
-	syncBranch := r.Config.Branches.SynchCI + downstreamBranch
+	syncBranch := r.Config.Branches.SyncCi + downstreamBranch
 	r.Printf("Re-syncing release: %s\n", color.Blue(r.rel.String()))
 	downstreamRemote := git.Remote{
 		Name: "downstream",
diff --git a/pkg/sync/trigger_ci.go b/pkg/sync/trigger_ci.go
index 4e67150..be57481 100644
--- a/pkg/sync/trigger_ci.go
+++ b/pkg/sync/trigger_ci.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/openshift-knative/deviate/pkg/config/git"
 	"github.com/openshift-knative/deviate/pkg/errors"
+	"github.com/openshift-knative/deviate/pkg/log/color"
 )
 
 func (o Operation) triggerCI() error {
@@ -27,11 +28,18 @@ type triggerCI struct {
 
 func (c triggerCI) run() error {
 	c.Println("Trigger CI")
+
+	// If SyncCi is not explicitly set (i.e., it's an empty string), skip this feature.
+	if c.Config.Branches.SyncCi == "" {
+		c.Println(color.Yellow("Skipping CI trigger because 'branches.syncCi' is not configured."))
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	return runSteps([]step{
 		c.checkout,
 		c.addChange,
 		c.commitChanges(c.triggerCIMessage()),
-		c.pushBranch(c.Config.Branches.SynchCI + c.Config.Branches.ReleaseNext),
+		c.pushBranch(c.Config.Branches.SyncCi + c.Config.Branches.ReleaseNext),
 	})
 }
 
@@ -41,7 +49,7 @@ func (c triggerCI) checkout() error {
 		URL:  c.Config.Downstream,
 	}
 	err := c.Repository.Checkout(remote, c.Config.Branches.ReleaseNext).
-		As(c.Config.Branches.SynchCI + c.Config.Branches.ReleaseNext)
+		As(c.Config.Branches.SyncCi + c.Config.Branches.ReleaseNext)
 	return errors.Wrap(err, ErrSyncFailed)
 }