diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index d624a02c3..ddc15be56 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -380,8 +380,8 @@ API:
   extends: .terraform
   rules:
     - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE != "schedule"'
-    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule" && $RUNNER =~ /[\S]+rhel-9.0-[^ga][\S]+/ && $NIGHTLY == "true" && $RHEL_MAJOR == "9"'
-    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule" && $RUNNER =~ /[\S]+rhel-8.6-[^ga][\S]+/ && $NIGHTLY == "true" && $RHEL_MAJOR == "8"'
+    # note: cloud API is not supported for on-prem installations so
+    # don't run this test case for nightly trees
   script:
     - schutzbot/deploy.sh
     - /usr/libexec/tests/osbuild-composer/api.sh ${IMAGE_TYPE}