diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/common.yml b/.gitlab/ci/common.yml
index 4e326d675c51..08f5a745a18a 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/common.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/common.yml
@@ -20,8 +20,14 @@ variables:
   MAKEFLAGS: "-j5 --no-keep-going"
 
 # GitLab-CI environment
-
-  # now we have pack-objects cache, so clone strategy is faster than fetch
+  # Thanks to pack-objects cache, clone strategy should behave faster than fetch
+  #   so we pick "clone" as default git strategy
+  # Shiny runners by default remove the CI_PROJECT_DIR every time at the beginning of one job
+  #   and clone with a --depth=1
+  # Brew runners will fetch from locally mirror first, and cache the local CI_PROJECT_DIR
+  # In conclusion
+  # - set GIT_STRATEGY: "clone" to shiny runners
+  # - set GIT_STRATEGY: "fetch" to brew runners
   GIT_STRATEGY: clone
   # we will download archive for each submodule instead of clone.
   # we don't do "recursive" when fetch submodule as they're not used in CI now.
@@ -291,22 +297,6 @@ variables:
     - *setup_tools_and_idf_python_venv
     - add_gitlab_ssh_keys
 
-# git describe requires commit history until the latest tag
-.before_script:fetch:git_describe:
-  variables:
-    GIT_STRAEGY: none
-  before_script:
-    - *git_init
-    - *git_fetch_from_mirror_url_if_exists
-    - |
-      git fetch origin refs/tags/"${LATEST_GIT_TAG}":refs/tags/"${LATEST_GIT_TAG}" --depth=1
-      git repack -d
-      git fetch origin $CI_COMMIT_SHA --shallow-since=$(git log -1 --format=%as "${LATEST_GIT_TAG}")
-    - *git_checkout_fetch_head
-    - *common-before_scripts
-    - *setup_tools_and_idf_python_venv
-    - add_gitlab_ssh_keys
-
 # target test runners may locate in different places
 # for runners set git mirror, we fetch from the mirror first, then fetch the HEAD commit
 .before_script:fetch:target_test:
diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/pre_check.yml b/.gitlab/ci/pre_check.yml
index fe19bad39be3..0ee3dc7a95e8 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/pre_check.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/pre_check.yml
@@ -50,7 +50,13 @@ check_version:
   extends:
     - .pre_check_template
     - .rules:protected
-    - .before_script:fetch:git_describe
+  tags: [ brew, github_sync ]
+  variables:
+    # need a full clone to get the latest tag
+    # the --shallow-since=$(git log -1 --format=%as $LATEST_GIT_TAG) option is not accurate
+    GIT_STRATEGY: fetch
+    SUBMODULES_TO_FETCH: "none"
+    GIT_DEPTH: 0
   script:
     - export IDF_PATH=$PWD
     - tools/ci/check_idf_version.sh
@@ -144,7 +150,13 @@ check_version_tag:
   extends:
     - .pre_check_template
     - .rules:tag:release
-    - .before_script:fetch:git_describe
+  tags: [ brew, github_sync ]
+  variables:
+    # need a full clone to get the latest tag
+    # the --shallow-since=$(git log -1 --format=%as $LATEST_GIT_TAG) option is not accurate
+    GIT_STRATEGY: fetch
+    SUBMODULES_TO_FETCH: "none"
+    GIT_DEPTH: 0
   script:
     - (git cat-file -t $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME | grep tag) || (echo "ESP-IDF versions must be annotated tags." && exit 1)