diff --git a/gitlab/functions.sh b/gitlab/functions.sh
index 68e209f2ba9f3a1b1a9660601a3bf4ff07bba294..c43c0eb460ad5f2f9cbf3493789ef334d4daf3e2 100644
--- a/gitlab/functions.sh
+++ b/gitlab/functions.sh
@@ -355,11 +355,7 @@ install_miniconda() {
 # $2: typically, the value of ${CI_COMMIT_TAG} or empty
 # given the current visibility/tagging conditions of the package.
 set_conda_channels() {
-  if [ -z "${CONDA_CHANNELS+abc}" ]; then
-    CONDA_CHANNELS=() #sets bash array
-  else
-    log_info "Appending to existing \$\{CONDA_CHANNELS\} setup..."
-  fi
+  CONDA_CHANNELS=() #resets bash array
   if [ "${1}" == "public" ]; then
     if [ -z "${2}" ]; then #public beta build
       CONDA_CHANNELS+=('public/conda/label/beta')