diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-and-publish-docker-dev-manually.yml b/.github/workflows/create-and-publish-docker-dev-manually.yml
index 68a4dbf..481ddfb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-and-publish-docker-dev-manually.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-and-publish-docker-dev-manually.yml
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ on:
         required: true
         default: 'master'
         type: string
-      verify_release:
-        description: 'enable or disable release verification'
-        required: true
+      skip_release_verification:
+        description: 'enable skipping release verification'
+        required: false
         default: false
         type: boolean
 
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ jobs:
       ui_repo_ref: ${{ github.event.inputs.ui_repo_ref }}
       server_repo_ref: ${{ github.event.inputs.server_repo_ref }}
       image_name_prefix: joinmarket-webui/jam-dev-
-      verify_release: ${{ github.event.inputs.verify_release }}
+      skip_release_verification: "${{ github.event.inputs.skip_release_verification }}"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-and-publish-docker.yml b/.github/workflows/create-and-publish-docker.yml
index 5dca1f2..2d75ac9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-and-publish-docker.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-and-publish-docker.yml
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ on:
         description: 'image name prefix (e.g. joinmarket-webui/jam-)'
         required: true
         type: string
-      verify_release:
-        description: 'enable or disable release verification'
+      skip_release_verification:
+        description: 'enable skipping release verification'
         required: false
-        default: true
+        default: false
         type: boolean
 
 env:
@@ -77,4 +77,4 @@ jobs:
           build-args: |
             JAM_REPO_REF=${{ inputs.ui_repo_ref }}
             JM_SERVER_REPO_REF=${{ inputs.server_repo_ref }}
-            VERIFY_RELEASE=${{ inputs.verify_release }}
+            SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION=${{ inputs.skip_release_verification }}
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 1a5b96f..8194fac 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -32,13 +32,13 @@ docker build --label "local" \
 Building from a specific branch (with disabled release verification):
 ```sh
 docker build --label "local" \
-        --build-arg VERIFY_RELEASE=false \
+        --build-arg SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION=true \
         --build-arg JAM_REPO_REF=master \
         --tag "joinmarket-webui/jam-ui-only" ./ui-only
 ```
 
 #### Build args
-- `VERIFY_RELEASE` (optional, defaults to `true`; enable or disable release verification)
+- `SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION` (optional, defaults to `false`; enable skipping release verification)
 - `JAM_REPO` (ui git repo; defaults to `https://github.com/joinmarket-webui/jam`)
 - `JAM_REPO_REF` (ui git ref; defaults to `master`)
 
@@ -108,14 +108,14 @@ docker build --label "local" \
 Building from a specific branch (with disabled release verification):
 ```sh
 docker build --label "local" \
-        --build-arg VERIFY_RELEASE=false \
+        --build-arg SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION=true \
         --build-arg JAM_REPO_REF=master \
         --build-arg JM_SERVER_REPO_REF=master \
         --tag "joinmarket-webui/jam-standalone" ./standalone
 ```
 
 #### Build args
-- `VERIFY_RELEASE` (optional, defaults to `true`; enable or disable release verification)
+- `SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION` (optional, defaults to `false`; enable skipping release verification)
 - `JAM_REPO` (ui git repo; defaults to `https://github.com/joinmarket-webui/jam`)
 - `JAM_REPO_REF` (ui git ref; defaults to `master`)
 - `JM_SERVER_REPO` (server git repo; defaults to `https://github.com/JoinMarket-Org/joinmarket-clientserver`)
diff --git a/standalone/Dockerfile b/standalone/Dockerfile
index 344ff6e..d4216d2 100644
--- a/standalone/Dockerfile
+++ b/standalone/Dockerfile
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ ARG JAM_REPO_REF=master
 ARG JM_SERVER_REPO=https://github.com/JoinMarket-Org/joinmarket-clientserver
 ARG JM_SERVER_REPO_REF=master
 
-ARG VERIFY_RELEASE=true
+ARG SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION=false
 
 ARG NODE_IMAGE_VERSION=22.11.0
 ARG NODE_IMAGE_HASH=f265794478aa0b1a23d85a492c8311ed795bc527c3fe7e43453b3c872dcd71a3
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ RUN apk add --no-cache --update git gnupg
 
 # --- UI builder 
 FROM builder-base AS ui-builder
-ARG VERIFY_RELEASE
+ARG SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION
 ARG JAM_REPO
 ARG JAM_REPO_REF
 
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ COPY pubkeys/ /pubkeys
 
 # checkout and build project
 RUN git clone "$JAM_REPO" . --depth=1 --branch "$JAM_REPO_REF" \
-    && (if [ "$VERIFY_RELEASE" != "false" ]; then \
+    && (if [ "$SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION" == "false" ]; then \
         find /pubkeys -iname '*.asc' -exec gpg --import "{}" \; \
         && git verify-tag "$JAM_REPO_REF"; \
     fi) \
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ RUN git clone "https://github.com/davmac314/dinit" . --depth=1 --branch "v$DINIT
 
 # --- SERVER builder
 FROM builder-base AS server-builder
-ARG VERIFY_RELEASE
+ARG SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION
 ARG JM_SERVER_REPO
 ARG JM_SERVER_REPO_REF
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ WORKDIR /usr/src/joinmarket-clientserver
 COPY pubkeys/ /pubkeys
 
 RUN git clone "$JM_SERVER_REPO" . --depth=1 --branch "$JM_SERVER_REPO_REF" \
-    && (if [ "$VERIFY_RELEASE" != "false" ]; then \
+    && (if [ "$SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION" == "false" ]; then \
         find /pubkeys -iname '*.asc' -exec gpg --import "{}" \; \
         && git verify-tag "$JM_SERVER_REPO_REF"; \
     fi)
diff --git a/ui-only/Dockerfile b/ui-only/Dockerfile
index c2b7bdc..baaf279 100644
--- a/ui-only/Dockerfile
+++ b/ui-only/Dockerfile
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ ARG MAINTAINER='Jam https://github.com/joinmarket-webui'
 ARG JAM_REPO=https://github.com/joinmarket-webui/jam
 ARG JAM_REPO_REF=master
 
-ARG VERIFY_RELEASE=true
+ARG SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION=false
 
 ARG NODE_IMAGE_VERSION=22.11.0
 ARG NODE_IMAGE_HASH=f265794478aa0b1a23d85a492c8311ed795bc527c3fe7e43453b3c872dcd71a3
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ RUN apk add --no-cache --update git gnupg
 
 # --- UI builder 
 FROM builder-base AS builder
-ARG VERIFY_RELEASE
+ARG SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION
 ARG JAM_REPO
 ARG JAM_REPO_REF
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ COPY pubkeys/ /pubkeys
 
 # checkout and build project
 RUN git clone "$JAM_REPO" . --depth=1 --branch "$JAM_REPO_REF" \
-    && (if [ "$VERIFY_RELEASE" != "false" ]; then \
+    && (if [ "$SKIP_RELEASE_VERIFICATION" == "false" ]; then \
         find /pubkeys -iname '*.asc' -exec gpg --import "{}" \; \
         && git verify-tag "$JAM_REPO_REF"; \
     fi) \