diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index 4f1784298b..67a72b61be 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - master
+      # for testing the GH Action without merging to master,
+      # in some cases
+      - test-publish-snapshots
     tags: ["*"]
 
 jobs:
@@ -30,6 +33,7 @@ jobs:
           PGP_SECRET: ${{ secrets.PGP_SECRET }}
           SONATYPE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.SONATYPE_PASSWORD }}
           SONATYPE_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.SONATYPE_USERNAME }}
+          WHITESOURCE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.WHITESOURCE_PASSWORD }}
 
   # TODO publish gradle from here as well