diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-branches.yml b/.github/workflows/build-branches.yml
index 272a31cb72..65e0b21670 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-branches.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-branches.yml
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ run-name: 'Starting a branch build of OT2 software for ${{github.ref_name}}'
 on:
   push:
     branches:
-      - '*'
+      - '**'
     tags-ignore:
-      - '*'
+      - '**'
 
 jobs:
   start-build:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-container.yaml b/.github/workflows/update-container.yaml
index fbc36e09a8..431938c767 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-container.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-container.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 on:
   push:
     tags:
-      - "*"
+      - "**"
     branches_ignore:
-      - "*"
+      - "**"
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs: