diff --git a/.azure/build-pipeline.yaml b/.azure/build-pipeline.yaml
index 3598d55..9b2e55c 100644
--- a/.azure/build-pipeline.yaml
+++ b/.azure/build-pipeline.yaml
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ stages:
     displayName: Deploy Java
     dependsOn:
       - run_systemtests
-    condition: and(succeeded(), or(eq(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/heads/main'), startsWith(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/heads/release-')))
+    # Deploy Strimzi Java artifacts -> run only on main branch (where it pushes snapshots to Maven Central repo)
+    condition: and(succeeded(), eq(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/heads/main'))
     jobs:
       - template: 'templates/jobs/deploy_java.yaml'
         parameters:
diff --git a/.azure/release-pipeline.yaml b/.azure/release-pipeline.yaml
index f1c9293..fecbd96 100644
--- a/.azure/release-pipeline.yaml
+++ b/.azure/release-pipeline.yaml
@@ -32,11 +32,6 @@ stages:
     jobs:
       - job: 'release_artifacts'
         displayName: 'Release Artifacts'
-        strategy:
-          matrix:
-            'java-17':
-              image: 'Ubuntu-22.04'
-              jdk_version: '17'
         # Set timeout for jobs
         timeoutInMinutes: 60
         # Base system
@@ -45,8 +40,6 @@ stages:
         # Pipeline steps
         steps:
           - template: 'templates/steps/prerequisites/install_java.yaml'
-            parameters:
-              JDK_VERSION: $(jdk_version)
           - template: "templates/steps/prerequisites/install_helm.yaml"
           - bash: ".azure/scripts/release-artifacts.sh"
             env:
@@ -55,6 +48,16 @@ stages:
               RELEASE_VERSION: '${{ parameters.releaseVersion }}'
               MVN_ARGS: '-B'
             displayName: "Prepare release artifacts"
+          # Deploy Java artifacts
+          - bash: "./.azure/scripts/push-to-central.sh"
+            env:
+              MVN_ARGS: "-e -V -B"
+              BUILD_REASON: $(Build.Reason)
+              BRANCH: $(Build.SourceBranch)
+              GPG_PASSPHRASE: $(GPG_PASSPHRASE)
+              GPG_SIGNING_KEY: $(GPG_SIGNING_KEY)
+              CENTRAL_USERNAME: $(CENTRAL_USERNAME)
+              CENTRAL_PASSWORD: $(CENTRAL_PASSWORD)
           - publish: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/strimzi-access-operator-${{ parameters.releaseVersion }}.tar.gz
             artifact: ReleaseTarGzArchive
           - publish: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/strimzi-access-operator-${{ parameters.releaseVersion }}.zip
diff --git a/.azure/templates/steps/prerequisites/install_java.yaml b/.azure/templates/steps/prerequisites/install_java.yaml
index ca43101..140b240 100644
--- a/.azure/templates/steps/prerequisites/install_java.yaml
+++ b/.azure/templates/steps/prerequisites/install_java.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ parameters:
 steps:
   - task: JavaToolInstaller@0
     inputs:
-      versionSpec: $(JDK_VERSION)
+      versionSpec: ${{ parameters.JDK_VERSION }}
       jdkArchitectureOption: 'x64'
       jdkSourceOption: 'PreInstalled'
     displayName: 'Configure Java'