diff --git a/.github/workflows/hidrive-next-build.yml b/.github/workflows/hidrive-next-build.yml
index 15bdb72925359..dfa0cf7443049 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/hidrive-next-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/hidrive-next-build.yml
@@ -284,41 +284,143 @@ jobs:
     name: Trigger remote workflow
     needs: [ hidrive-next-build, upload-to-artifactory ]
     # Trigger remote build on "ionos-dev|ionos-stable" branch *push* defined in the on:push:branches
-    if: github.event_name == 'push' && ( github.ref_name == 'ionos-dev' || github.ref_name == 'ionos-stable' )
+    # Can be disabled via repository variable 'DISABLE_REMOTE_TRIGGER' (set to 'true' to disable)
+    # Configure at: https://github.com/IONOS-Productivity/nc-server/settings/variables/actions
+    if: |
+      always() &&
+      github.event_name == 'push' &&
+      (github.ref_name == 'ionos-dev' || github.ref_name == 'ionos-stable') &&
+      needs.hidrive-next-build.result == 'success' &&
+      needs.upload-to-artifactory.result == 'success' &&
+      vars.DISABLE_REMOTE_TRIGGER != 'true'
     steps:
+      - name: Check prerequisites
+        run: |
+          echo "Checking if all required variables are set..."
+          error_count=0
+
+          if [ -z "${{ secrets.GITLAB_TOKEN }}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::GITLAB_TOKEN secret is not set"
+            error_count=$((error_count + 1))
+          fi
+
+          if [ -z "${{ secrets.GITLAB_TRIGGER_URL }}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::GITLAB_TRIGGER_URL secret is not set"
+            error_count=$((error_count + 1))
+          fi
+
+          if [ -z "${{ needs.hidrive-next-build.outputs.NC_VERSION }}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::NC_VERSION output from hidrive-next-build job is not set"
+            error_count=$((error_count + 1))
+          else
+            echo "✓ NC_VERSION: ${{ needs.hidrive-next-build.outputs.NC_VERSION }}"
+          fi
+
+          if [ -z "${{ needs.upload-to-artifactory.outputs.ARTIFACTORY_LAST_BUILD_PATH }}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::ARTIFACTORY_LAST_BUILD_PATH output from upload-to-artifactory job is not set"
+            error_count=$((error_count + 1))
+          else
+            echo "✓ ARTIFACTORY_LAST_BUILD_PATH: ${{ needs.upload-to-artifactory.outputs.ARTIFACTORY_LAST_BUILD_PATH }}"
+          fi
+
+          if [ -z "${{ github.sha }}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::github.sha is not set"
+            error_count=$((error_count + 1))
+          else
+            echo "✓ GITHUB_SHA: ${{ github.sha }}"
+          fi
+
+          if [ -z "${{ github.run_id }}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::github.run_id is not set"
+            error_count=$((error_count + 1))
+          else
+            echo "✓ BUILD_ID: ${{ github.run_id }}"
+          fi
+
+          if [ $error_count -ne 0 ]; then
+            echo "::error::Required variables are not set. Aborting."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          echo "✅ All required variables are set"
+
       - name: Trigger remote workflow
         run: |
-          # Enable command echo
+          # Enable command echo for debugging purposes
           set -x
 
-          # The 'ionos-dev' branch will trigger remote "dev" branch workflow
-          GITLAB_BRANCH="dev"
+          # Branch to GitLab Trigger Mapping (see HDNEXT-1373):
+          # | ref_name     | GITLAB_REF | BUILD_TYPE |
+          # |--------------|------------|------------|
+          # | ionos-dev    | main       | dev        |
+          # | ionos-stable | main       | stable     |
 
-          # set ARTIFACTORY_STAGE_PREFIX=stable on ionos-stable branch
+          BUILD_TYPE="dev"
+
+          # Override build type for stable branch
           if [ ${{ github.ref_name }} == "ionos-stable" ]; then
-              GITLAB_BRANCH="stable"
+              BUILD_TYPE="stable"
           fi
 
-          # Call webhook
-          curl \
-          --silent \
-          --insecure \
-          --request POST \
-          --fail-with-body \
-          -o response.json \
-          --form token=${{ secrets.GITLAB_TOKEN }} \
-          --form ref="${GITLAB_BRANCH}" \
-          --form "variables[GITHUB_SHA]=${{ github.sha }}" \
-          --form "variables[ARTIFACTORY_LAST_BUILD_PATH]=${{ needs.upload-to-artifactory.outputs.ARTIFACTORY_LAST_BUILD_PATH }}" \
-          --form "variables[NC_VERSION]=${{ needs.hidrive-next-build.outputs.NC_VERSION }}" \
-          --form "variables[BUILD_ID]=${{ github.run_id }}" \
-          "${{ secrets.GITLAB_TRIGGER_URL }}" || ( RETCODE="$?"; jq . response.json; exit "$RETCODE" )
+          # Construct source build URL for traceability
+          SOURCE_BUILD_URL="https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}"
+          echo "Source Build URL: $SOURCE_BUILD_URL"
+
+          # Trigger GitLab pipeline via webhook with retry logic (3 attempts with exponential backoff)
+          MAX_ATTEMPTS=3
+          ATTEMPT=1
+          TRIGGER_SUCCESS=false
+          DELAY_SEC=5
+
+          while [ $ATTEMPT -le $MAX_ATTEMPTS ]; do
+            echo "Trigger attempt $ATTEMPT of $MAX_ATTEMPTS..."
+
+            if curl \
+              --silent \
+              --insecure \
+              --request POST \
+              --fail-with-body \
+              -o response.json \
+              --form token=${{ secrets.GITLAB_TOKEN }} \
+              --form ref="main" \
+              --form "variables[GITHUB_SHA]=${{ github.sha }}" \
+              --form "variables[ARTIFACTORY_LAST_BUILD_PATH]=${{ needs.upload-to-artifactory.outputs.ARTIFACTORY_LAST_BUILD_PATH }}" \
+              --form "variables[NC_VERSION]=${{ needs.hidrive-next-build.outputs.NC_VERSION }}" \
+              --form "variables[BUILD_ID]=${{ github.run_id }}" \
+              --form "variables[BUILD_TYPE]=${BUILD_TYPE}" \
+              --form "variables[SOURCE_BUILD_URL]=${SOURCE_BUILD_URL}" \
+              "${{ secrets.GITLAB_TRIGGER_URL }}"; then
+              TRIGGER_SUCCESS=true
+              echo "✅ Trigger successful on attempt $ATTEMPT"
+              break
+            else
+              RETCODE="$?"
+              echo "⚠️ Trigger attempt $ATTEMPT failed with code $RETCODE"
+              if [ -f response.json ]; then
+                jq . response.json || cat response.json
+              fi
+              if [ $ATTEMPT -lt $MAX_ATTEMPTS ]; then
+                echo "Waiting ${DELAY_SEC} seconds before retry..."
+                sleep $DELAY_SEC
+                DELAY_SEC=$((DELAY_SEC * 2))  # Exponential backoff: 5s, 10s, 20s
+              fi
+            fi
+
+            ATTEMPT=$((ATTEMPT + 1))
+          done
+
+          if [ "$TRIGGER_SUCCESS" != "true" ]; then
+            echo "❌ Trigger failed after $MAX_ATTEMPTS attempts"
+            if [ -f response.json ]; then
+              jq . response.json || cat response.json
+            fi
+            exit 1
+          fi
 
           # Disable command echo
           set +x
 
           # Print and parse json
-          # jq . response.json
           echo "json<<END" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           cat response.json >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           echo "END" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT