diff --git a/.drone.yml b/.drone.yml
index 3d8358b10..6afb2ffc2 100644
--- a/.drone.yml
+++ b/.drone.yml
@@ -13,16 +13,28 @@ steps:
     image: rustdocker/rust:nightly
     commands:
       - /root/.cargo/bin/cargo fmt -- --check
+    # disable this
+    when:
+      ref:
+        - refs/tags/*
 
   - name: cargo check
     image: ekidd/rust-musl-builder:1.47.0
     commands:
       - cargo check --workspace --all-targets
+    # disable this
+    when:
+      ref:
+        - refs/tags/*
 
   - name: cargo clippy
     image: ekidd/rust-musl-builder:1.47.0
     commands:
       - cargo clippy
+    # disable this
+    when:
+      ref:
+        - refs/tags/*
 
   - name: check documentation build
     image: ekidd/rust-musl-builder:1.47.0
@@ -40,9 +52,15 @@ steps:
       - sudo apt-get update
       - sudo apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends espeak postgresql-client
       - cargo test --workspace --no-fail-fast
+    # disable this
+    when:
+      ref:
+        - refs/tags/*
 
   - name: cargo build
     image: ekidd/rust-musl-builder:1.47.0
+    environment:
+      -  RUSTFLAGS: "-C opt-level=0 -C lto=off"
     commands:
       - cargo build --release
 
diff --git a/api_tests/prepare-drone-federation-test.sh b/api_tests/prepare-drone-federation-test.sh
index 7a2c93221..e4a30d699 100755
--- a/api_tests/prepare-drone-federation-test.sh
+++ b/api_tests/prepare-drone-federation-test.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ export LEMMY_CAPTCHA__ENABLED=false
 export RUST_BACKTRACE=1
 export RUST_LOG=debug
 
+ls -la target/release/lemmy_server
+
 echo "start alpha"
 LEMMY_HOSTNAME=lemmy-alpha:8541 \
   LEMMY_PORT=8541 \