diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 1282a72ae253e440025384fdf035cecfb5c77c61..15fbbfd5f3935213eae428d4272e368f47f47516 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ variables:
   CPPLIB_BRANCH: f-cpp-to-string
 
   OCTAVEINTTEST_PIPELINE: https://gitlab.indiscale.com/api/v4/projects/121/trigger/pipeline
+  OCTAVEINTTEST_BRANCHES: https://gitlab.indiscale.com/api/v4/projects/121/repository/branches
 
 
 image: $OCTAVE_REGISTRY_IMAGE
@@ -104,7 +105,11 @@ trigger_inttest:
     ## Determine the octaveinttest branch...
     # ... sync'ed f-branch (f-bar on octavelib requires f-bar on octaveinttest)...
     - if echo "$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME" | grep -c "^f-" ; then
-        OCTAVEINT_REF=$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME ;
+        if curl -o /dev/null -s -w "%{http_code}" $OCTAVEINTTEST_BRANCHES/$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME | grep "404"; then
+          OCTAVEINT_REF=dev ;
+        else
+          OCTAVEINT_REF=$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME ;
+        fi
       fi;
     # ... or use main if possible...
     - if [[ "$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME" == "main" ]] ; then