diff --git a/astro.config.mjs b/astro.config.mjs
index e7a9eda77..3ed5fbfe8 100644
--- a/astro.config.mjs
+++ b/astro.config.mjs
@@ -358,9 +358,9 @@ export default defineConfig({
 		...i18nRedirect('/v1/references/configuration-files', '/references/configuration-files'),
 		...i18nRedirect('/v1/references/webview-versions', '/references/webview-versions'),
 
-		// Decommissioned locales
-		'/ko/[...slug]': '/[...slug]',
-		'/it/[...slug]': '/[...slug]',
+		// Decommissioned locales -> refer to /public/_redirects file
+		// '/ko/[...slug]': '/[...slug]',
+		// '/it/[...slug]': '/[...slug]',
 	},
 	//
 });
diff --git a/packages/releases-generator/build.ts b/packages/releases-generator/build.ts
index 15a105707..774063cfd 100644
--- a/packages/releases-generator/build.ts
+++ b/packages/releases-generator/build.ts
@@ -190,4 +190,8 @@ function entitify(str: string): string {
 		.replace(/\$\{/g, '$\\{');
 }
 
-generator();
+if (process.env.CONTEXT === 'production' || process.env.HEAD?.startsWith('release-pages')) {
+	generator();
+} else {
+	console.info('Skipping `/release` pages build');
+}
diff --git a/public/_redirects b/public/_redirects
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a63f8205e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/_redirects
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# Refer to astro.config.mjs
+
+# Decommissioned locales
+/ko/*  /:splat  302
+/it/*  /:splat  302
\ No newline at end of file