diff --git a/.github/workflows/deployment.yml b/.github/workflows/deployment.yml
index 251475175fa..cc41de4650e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deployment.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deployment.yml
@@ -26,9 +26,8 @@ env:
   IEEEAPIKey: ${{ secrets.IEEEAPIKey }}
   BiodiversityHeritageApiKey: ${{ secrets.BiodiversityHeritageApiKey}}
   OSXCERT: ${{ secrets.OSX_SIGNING_CERT }}
-  GRADLE_OPTS: -Xmx4g -Dorg.gradle.daemon=false -Dorg.gradle.vfs.watch=false
+  GRADLE_OPTS: -Xmx4g -Dorg.gradle.vfs.watch=false
   JAVA_OPTS: -Xmx4g
-  JDK21: ""
 
 concurrency:
   group: "${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref || github.ref }}"
@@ -44,14 +43,11 @@ jobs:
           - os: ubuntu-latest
             displayName: linux
             archivePortable: tar -c -C build/distribution JabRef | pigz --rsyncable > build/distribution/JabRef-portable_linux.tar.gz && rm -R build/distribution/JabRef
-            eaJdk: https://files.jabref.org/jdks/jdk-linux-x64.tar.gz
           - os: windows-latest
             displayName: windows
             archivePortable: 7z a -r build/distribution/JabRef-portable_windows.zip ./build/distribution/JabRef && rm -R build/distribution/JabRef
-            eaJDK: https://files.jabref.org/jdks/jdk-windows-x64.zip
           - os: macos-latest
             displayName: macOS
-            eaJDK: https://files.jabref.org/jdks/jdk-macos-x64.tar.gz
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     outputs:
       major: ${{ steps.gitversion.outputs.Major }}
@@ -97,6 +93,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v3
       - name: Prepare merged jars and modules dir (macOS)
+        # prepareModulesDir is executing a build, which should run through even if no upload to builds.jabref.org is made
         if: (matrix.os == 'macos-latest') || (steps.checksecrets.outputs.secretspresent == 'NO')
         run: ./gradlew -i -PprojVersion="${{ steps.gitversion.outputs.AssemblySemVer }}" -PprojVersionInfo="${{ steps.gitversion.outputs.InformationalVersion }}" prepareModulesDir
       - name: Setup macOS key chain