diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml b/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml
index 3d48b4d195..392345eecb 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml
@@ -139,15 +139,6 @@
     - test:target_test
     - test:any_test
 
-# due to the lack of runners, c3 tests will only be triggered by label
-"test:unit_test-esp32c3":
-  labels:
-    - unit_test_esp32c3
-  patterns:
-    - "build-unit_test-esp32c3"
-  included_in:
-    - "build:unit_test-esp32c3"
-
 "test:example_test-esp32c3":  # For esp32c3 we trigger only with label
 
 "labels:example_test-esp32c3":
diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml b/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml
index e9b080f55b..74e793bd58 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/rules.yml
@@ -644,11 +644,14 @@
   rules:
     - <<: *if-protected
     - <<: *if-label-build
+    - <<: *if-label-unit_test
     - <<: *if-label-unit_test_esp32c3
     - <<: *if-dev-push
       changes: *patterns-build_components
     - <<: *if-dev-push
       changes: *patterns-build_system
+    - <<: *if-dev-push
+      changes: *patterns-unit_test
 
 .rules:build:unit_test-esp32s2:
   rules:
@@ -952,7 +955,10 @@
     - <<: *if-protected
     - <<: *if-label-build-only
       when: never
+    - <<: *if-label-unit_test
     - <<: *if-label-unit_test_esp32c3
+    - <<: *if-dev-push
+      changes: *patterns-unit_test
 
 .rules:test:unit_test-esp32s2:
   rules:
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 4b9f493d1f..99a3fb9221 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ repos:
         name: Check rules are generated (based on .gitlab/ci/dependencies/dependencies.yml)
         entry: .gitlab/ci/dependencies/generate_rules.py
         language: python
-        files: '\.gitlab/ci/dependencies/.+'
+        files: '\.gitlab/ci/dependencies/.+|\.gitlab/ci/rules\.yml'
         pass_filenames: false
         additional_dependencies:
           - PyYAML == 5.3.1