diff --git a/.github/workflows/nebula.yml b/.github/workflows/nebula.yml
index adee7de..c0cc37b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nebula.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nebula.yml
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ jobs:
             - ${{ runner.os }}-gradlewrapper-
       - name: Verify plugin publication
         if: |
-          startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
+          startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v') &&
+          (!contains(github.ref, '-rc.'))
         run: ./gradlew  --stacktrace -Dgradle.publish.key=${{ secrets.gradlePublishKey }} -Dgradle.publish.secret=${{ secrets.gradlePublishSecret }} publishPlugins --validate-only -x signPluginMavenPublication -x check
   publish:
     if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 8fde04f..4c2e4b4 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ repositories {
 }
 
 dependencies {
+    compileOnly 'io.github.gradle-nexus:publish-plugin:1.0.0'
     implementation 'com.netflix.nebula:nebula-oss-publishing-plugin:latest.release'
     implementation 'com.netflix.nebula:gradle-contacts-plugin:latest.release'
     implementation 'com.netflix.nebula:gradle-dependency-lock-plugin:latest.release'
diff --git a/gradle.lockfile b/gradle.lockfile
index 88cb974..b94b7bd 100644
--- a/gradle.lockfile
+++ b/gradle.lockfile
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ commons-lang:commons-lang:2.4=integTestRuntimeClasspath,runtimeClasspath,testRun
 commons-logging:commons-logging:1.2=integTestRuntimeClasspath,runtimeClasspath,testRuntimeClasspath
 de.regnis.q.sequence:sequence-library:1.0.3=integTestRuntimeClasspath,runtimeClasspath,testRuntimeClasspath
 gradle.plugin.org.kt3k.gradle.plugin:coveralls-gradle-plugin:2.12.2=compileClasspath,integTestCompileClasspath,integTestRuntimeClasspath,runtimeClasspath,testCompileClasspath,testRuntimeClasspath
-io.github.gradle-nexus:publish-plugin:1.0.0=integTestRuntimeClasspath,runtimeClasspath,testRuntimeClasspath
+io.github.gradle-nexus:publish-plugin:1.0.0=compileClasspath,integTestRuntimeClasspath,runtimeClasspath,testRuntimeClasspath
 joda-time:joda-time:2.10=integTestRuntimeClasspath,runtimeClasspath,testRuntimeClasspath
 junit:junit:4.12=integTestCompileClasspath,integTestRuntimeClasspath,testCompileClasspath,testRuntimeClasspath
 net.java.dev.jna:jna-platform:5.7.0=integTestRuntimeClasspath,runtimeClasspath,testRuntimeClasspath
diff --git a/src/main/groovy/nebula/plugin/plugin/NebulaPluginPlugin.groovy b/src/main/groovy/nebula/plugin/plugin/NebulaPluginPlugin.groovy
index 0343174..207c426 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/nebula/plugin/plugin/NebulaPluginPlugin.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/nebula/plugin/plugin/NebulaPluginPlugin.groovy
@@ -15,10 +15,12 @@
  */
 package nebula.plugin.plugin
 
+import io.github.gradlenexus.publishplugin.AbstractNexusStagingRepositoryTask
 import nebula.plugin.publishing.NebulaOssPublishingExtension
 import org.gradle.api.Action
 import org.gradle.api.Plugin
 import org.gradle.api.Project
+import org.gradle.api.invocation.Gradle
 import org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPluginExtension
 import org.gradle.api.provider.Provider
 import org.gradle.api.provider.ProviderFactory
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ class NebulaPluginPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
     static final PLUGIN_IDS = GRADLE_PLUGIN_IDS + THIRDPARTY_PLUGIN_IDS + NEBULA_PLUGIN_IDS
 
     private final ProviderFactory providers
+    private boolean isPluginPublishingValidation
 
     @Inject
     NebulaPluginPlugin(ProviderFactory providerFactory) {
@@ -71,6 +74,7 @@ class NebulaPluginPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
 
     @Override
     void apply(Project project) {
+        this.isPluginPublishingValidation = project.gradle.startParameter.taskNames.contains('--validate-only')
         project.with {
             def nebulaOssPublishingExtension = project.rootProject.extensions.findByType(NebulaOssPublishingExtension) ?: project.rootProject.extensions.create("nebulaOssPublishing", NebulaOssPublishingExtension)
             nebulaOssPublishingExtension.packageGroup.set("com.netflix")
@@ -174,7 +178,7 @@ class NebulaPluginPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
 
                 gradle.taskGraph.whenReady { graph ->
                     tasks.publishPlugins.onlyIf {
-                        graph.hasTask(':final') || gradle.startParameter.taskNames.contains('--validate-only')
+                        graph.hasTask(':final') || isPluginPublishingValidation
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -215,10 +219,28 @@ class NebulaPluginPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
             }
 
 
-            project.tasks.withType(Sign).configureEach {
-                it.mustRunAfter(validatePluginsTask, project.tasks.named('check'))
+            /**
+             * Configure signing unless it is plugin validation
+             */
+            if (!isPluginPublishingValidation) {
+                project.tasks.withType(Sign).configureEach {
+                    it.mustRunAfter(validatePluginsTask, project.tasks.named('check'))
+                }
+            }
+
+            /**
+             * Disable publishing to maven repositories when running --validate-only
+             */
+            if (isPluginPublishingValidation) {
+                project.tasks.withType(PublishToMavenRepository).configureEach {
+                    it.enabled = false
+                }
+                project.tasks.withType(AbstractNexusStagingRepositoryTask).configureEach {
+                    it.enabled = false
+                }
             }
         }
+
     }
 
     private void disableGradleModuleMetadataTask(Project project) {