diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index 1873b5e..7bde3ea 100755
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ pipeline {
             steps {
                 withGradle {
                     configFileProvider([configFile(fileId: '70cb2022-0bc2-4b25-98a4-e1526dbf2735', variable: 'GRADLE_PROPERTIES')]) {
-                        sh './gradlew ${gradleParams} -PcustomProperties=${GRADLE_PROPERTIES} sign'
-
                         sh './gradlew ${gradleParams} publishToMavenLocal'
 
                         sh './gradlew ${gradleParams} -Prelease -PcustomProperties=${GRADLE_PROPERTIES} publish'
diff --git a/build_publish.gradle b/build_publish.gradle
index df04bc4..c467898 100644
--- a/build_publish.gradle
+++ b/build_publish.gradle
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ publishing {
 // Signing
 
 signing {
-    required { hasProperty("signing.secretKeyRingFile") }
+    setRequired {
+        // signing is required if this is a release version and the artifacts are to be published
+        gradle.taskGraph.allTasks.any { it is PublishToMavenRepository }
+    }
     sign publishing.publications.mavenJava
 }