diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 39c8752311726bb160a9b88380fbb4baa5b037ca..275d86895931b86a25d7253c6b804f35e8f717ec 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -265,14 +265,20 @@ pages:
             cd ./doc && sphinx-build -b html -n --no-color -W --keep-going -T -j auto -d "$doctree" . "$out/$publish_as"
           )
       }
-      build_branch main main
-      build_branch preview preview
-      build_branch master master
-
-      # If the folder is empty, remove it to avoid emptying the documentation and stop here.
-      if rmdir "$out" &>/dev/null; then
-          exit 0
-      fi
+
+      function fail() {
+          if ! "$@"; then
+              # If one of the build phases failed, make sure we do not
+              # accidentally deploy a partial artifact (likely mostly empty)
+              # and exit with error
+              rm -r "$out" &>/dev/null
+              exit 1
+          fi
+      }
+
+      fail build_branch main main
+      fail build_branch preview preview
+      fail build_branch master master
 
       # TODO: For now the release branch doc won't build as it lacks some necessary fixes
       # build_branch release release