diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/auto_devops_kubernetes_active.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/auto_devops_kubernetes_active.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..310d37128c9cb001921253d68660dbc4e8749404
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/auto_devops_kubernetes_active.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Switch kubernetes:active with checking in Auto-DevOps.gitlab-ci.yml
+merge_request: 22929
+author:
+type: fixed
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/templates/Auto-DevOps.gitlab-ci.yml b/lib/gitlab/ci/templates/Auto-DevOps.gitlab-ci.yml
index 4b726bd90d3adc2ab1cac077e384be8f5784725f..149506ea498b539ce3396e9d4424f151f87865b8 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/templates/Auto-DevOps.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/templates/Auto-DevOps.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -149,10 +149,10 @@ performance:
   only:
     refs:
       - branches
-    kubernetes: active
   except:
     variables:
       - $PERFORMANCE_DISABLED
+      - $KUBECONFIG == null
 
 sast:
   stage: test
@@ -227,7 +227,6 @@ dast:
   only:
     refs:
       - branches
-    kubernetes: active
     variables:
       - $GITLAB_FEATURES =~ /\bdast\b/
   except:
@@ -235,6 +234,7 @@ dast:
       - master
     variables:
       - $DAST_DISABLED
+      - $KUBECONFIG == null
 
 review:
   stage: review
@@ -256,12 +256,12 @@ review:
   only:
     refs:
       - branches
-    kubernetes: active
   except:
     refs:
       - master
     variables:
       - $REVIEW_DISABLED
+      - $KUBECONFIG == null
 
 stop_review:
   stage: cleanup
@@ -279,12 +279,12 @@ stop_review:
   only:
     refs:
       - branches
-    kubernetes: active
   except:
     refs:
       - master
     variables:
       - $REVIEW_DISABLED
+      - $KUBECONFIG == null
 
 # Staging deploys are disabled by default since
 # continuous deployment to production is enabled by default
@@ -308,9 +308,11 @@ staging:
   only:
     refs:
       - master
-    kubernetes: active
     variables:
       - $STAGING_ENABLED
+  except:
+    variables:
+      - $KUBECONFIG == null
 
 # Canaries are also disabled by default, but if you want them,
 # and know what the downsides are, you can enable this by setting
@@ -333,9 +335,11 @@ canary:
   only:
     refs:
       - master
-    kubernetes: active
     variables:
       - $CANARY_ENABLED
+  except:
+    variables:
+      - $KUBECONFIG == null
 
 .production: &production_template
   stage: production
@@ -361,13 +365,13 @@ production:
   only:
     refs:
       - master
-    kubernetes: active
   except:
     variables:
       - $STAGING_ENABLED
       - $CANARY_ENABLED
       - $INCREMENTAL_ROLLOUT_ENABLED
       - $INCREMENTAL_ROLLOUT_MODE
+      - $KUBECONFIG == null
 
 production_manual:
   <<: *production_template
@@ -376,7 +380,6 @@ production_manual:
   only:
     refs:
       - master
-    kubernetes: active
     variables:
       - $STAGING_ENABLED
       - $CANARY_ENABLED
@@ -384,6 +387,7 @@ production_manual:
     variables:
       - $INCREMENTAL_ROLLOUT_ENABLED
       - $INCREMENTAL_ROLLOUT_MODE
+      - $KUBECONFIG == null
 
 # This job implements incremental rollout on for every push to `master`.
 
@@ -413,13 +417,13 @@ production_manual:
   only:
     refs:
       - master
-    kubernetes: active
     variables:
       - $INCREMENTAL_ROLLOUT_MODE == "manual"
       - $INCREMENTAL_ROLLOUT_ENABLED
   except:
     variables:
       - $INCREMENTAL_ROLLOUT_MODE == "timed"
+      - $KUBECONFIG == null
 
 .timed_rollout_template: &timed_rollout_template
   <<: *rollout_template
@@ -428,9 +432,11 @@ production_manual:
   only:
     refs:
       - master
-    kubernetes: active
     variables:
       - $INCREMENTAL_ROLLOUT_MODE == "timed"
+  except:
+    variables:
+      - $KUBECONFIG == null
 
 timed rollout 10%:
   <<: *timed_rollout_template