diff --git a/scripts/build_image.sh b/scripts/build_image.sh
index d96547abc58d..b8c603829a7d 100755
--- a/scripts/build_image.sh
+++ b/scripts/build_image.sh
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ if [[ -z "${SKIP_BUILD_RACE}" ]]; then
                  "$AVALANCHE_PATH" -f "$AVALANCHE_PATH/Dockerfile"
 fi
 
-# Only tag the latest image for the master branch when images are pushed to a registry
-if [[ "${DOCKER_IMAGE}" == *"/"* && ($image_tag == "master" || -n "${FORCE_TAG_LATEST}") ]]; then
+# Tag latest when pushing to a registry and the tag is a release (vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH), or when forced
+if [[ "${DOCKER_IMAGE}" == *"/"* && ( "$image_tag" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ || -n "${FORCE_TAG_LATEST}" ) ]]; then
   echo "Tagging current avalanchego images as $DOCKER_IMAGE:latest"
   docker buildx imagetools create -t "$DOCKER_IMAGE:latest" "$DOCKER_IMAGE:$commit_hash"
 fi