diff --git a/azure-pipelines-release-nightly.yml b/azure-pipelines-release-nightly.yml
index 390bf651e..30bc271ee 100644
--- a/azure-pipelines-release-nightly.yml
+++ b/azure-pipelines-release-nightly.yml
@@ -17,18 +17,14 @@ pool:
     - ImageOverride -equals MMS2022TLS
 
 variables:
-  PackageSuffix: ''
 
-steps:
+  - name: PackageSuffix
+    ${{ if ne(variables['Build.SourceBranchName'], 'dev') }}:
+      value: 'ci.$(Build.BuildNumber)' # the "ci" section is to denote this payload is automatically released by the CI
+    ${{ else }}:
+      value: ''
 
-- task: PowerShell@2
-  displayName: 'Populate PackageSuffix'
-  inputs:
-    targetType: 'inline'
-    script: |
-      # the "ci" section is to denote this payload is automatically released by the CI
-      $versionSuffix = "ci.$(Build.BuildNumber)""
-      Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=PackageSuffix;]$versionSuffix"
+steps:
 
 # Configure all the .NET SDK versions we need
 - task: UseDotNet@2