diff --git a/.circleci/real_config.yml b/.circleci/real_config.yml
index 25a4bab9dc5..dcf9e7e91ee 100644
--- a/.circleci/real_config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/real_config.yml
@@ -2090,14 +2090,21 @@ jobs:
       ee:
         type: boolean
         default: false
+      force:
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
     docker:
       - image: cimg/node:20.9.0
     resource_class: large
     steps:
       - checkout-with-sm
       - add-and-fetch-upstream
-      - skip-if-only-docs
-      - skip-if-only-github
+      - when:
+          condition:
+            not: <<parameters.force>>
+          steps:
+            - skip-if-only-docs
+            - skip-if-only-github
       - react-get-deps
       - run: |
           if <<parameters.dev-mode>>; then
@@ -5539,6 +5546,7 @@ workflows:
       - build-proto:
           filters: *release-and-rc-filters
       - build-react:
+          force: true
           context: determined-production
           filters: *release-and-rc-filters
       - build-docs: