diff --git a/.gitlab/macrobenchmarks.yml b/.gitlab/macrobenchmarks.yml
index 118f375c5c9..567eebe6c3e 100644
--- a/.gitlab/macrobenchmarks.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/macrobenchmarks.yml
@@ -136,6 +136,9 @@ notify-slo-breaches:
   extends: .notify-slo-breaches
   stage: macrobenchmarks
   needs: ["check-slo-breaches"]
-  when: always
+  rules:
+    - if: $POPULATE_CACHE
+      when: never
+    - when: always
   variables:
     CHANNEL: "apm-release-platform"