diff --git a/.gitlab/README.md b/.gitlab/README.md.template
similarity index 100%
rename from .gitlab/README.md
rename to .gitlab/README.md.template
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 43988350c5410dc19c1340efdda9a1f9a1a6fa69..5c6e7415278d1bfdb5f6bfd9d0e45c936726bec9 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ Please read about CI/CD components and best practices at: https://docs.gitlab.co
 ## README
 
 The [`README.md`](README.md) file is generated using `make docs` (see [`Makefile`](Makefile))
-from [`.gitlab/README.md`](.gitlab/README.md).
+from [`.gitlab/README.md.template`](.gitlab/README.md.template).
 
 ## Upgrade OpenTofu versions
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 42f29dfb75a7a26c7e2c73993742ed3fb6ef9813..b0ee1e9ac1f1e7ad372e0896be7d6e5065a71fd5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ all: docs backports
 
 .PHONY: docs
 docs:
-	csplit -sf readme -n 1 .gitlab/README.md '/<INPUTS>/'
+	csplit -sf readme -n 1 .gitlab/README.md.template '/<INPUTS>/'
 	echo '<!-- This document is generated by `make docs` from `.gitlab/README.md` -->' > README.md
 	echo >> README.md
 	cat readme0 >> README.md