diff --git a/action/pipeline/exec.go b/action/pipeline/exec.go
index 6958348f..753f08d3 100644
--- a/action/pipeline/exec.go
+++ b/action/pipeline/exec.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-vela/cli/version"
 	api "github.com/go-vela/server/api/types"
 	"github.com/go-vela/server/compiler"
+	"github.com/go-vela/server/compiler/types/pipeline"
 	"github.com/go-vela/server/constants"
 	"github.com/go-vela/worker/executor"
 	"github.com/go-vela/worker/runtime"
@@ -118,52 +119,16 @@ func (c *Config) Exec(client compiler.Engine) error {
 	// create a slice for steps to be removed
 	stepsToRemove := c.SkipSteps
 
-	// filter out steps to be removed
-	if len(_pipeline.Stages) > 0 {
-		// counter for total steps to run
-		totalSteps := 0
-
-		for i, stage := range _pipeline.Stages {
-			filteredStageSteps := stage.Steps[:0]
-
-			for _, step := range stage.Steps {
-				// if c.steps contains step.Name
-				if !slices.Contains(stepsToRemove, step.Name) {
-					filteredStageSteps = append(filteredStageSteps, step)
-					totalSteps++
-				}
-
-				_pipeline.Stages[i].Steps = filteredStageSteps
-			}
-		}
-
-		// check if any steps are left to run, excluding "init" step
-		if totalSteps <= 1 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("no steps left to run after removing skipped steps")
+	// print steps to be removed to the user
+	if len(stepsToRemove) > 0 {
+		for _, stepName := range stepsToRemove {
+			fmt.Println("skip step: ", stepName)
 		}
-	} else {
-		// if not using stages
-		filteredSteps := _pipeline.Steps[:0]
-
-		for _, step := range _pipeline.Steps {
-			if !slices.Contains(stepsToRemove, step.Name) {
-				filteredSteps = append(filteredSteps, step)
-			}
-		}
-
-		// print steps to be removed to the user
-		if len(stepsToRemove) > 0 {
-			for _, stepName := range stepsToRemove {
-				fmt.Println("skip step: ", stepName)
-			}
-		}
-
-		_pipeline.Steps = filteredSteps
+	}
 
-		// check if any steps are left to run, excluding "init" step
-		if len(_pipeline.Steps) <= 1 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("no steps left to run after removing skipped steps")
-		}
+	// call the skipSteps function
+	if err := skipSteps(_pipeline, stepsToRemove); err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// create current directory path for local mount
@@ -266,3 +231,48 @@ func (c *Config) Exec(client compiler.Engine) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// skipSteps filters out steps to be removed from the pipeline.
+func skipSteps(_pipeline *pipeline.Build, stepsToRemove []string) error {
+	// filter out steps to be removed
+	if len(_pipeline.Stages) > 0 {
+		// counter for total steps to run
+		totalSteps := 0
+
+		for i, stage := range _pipeline.Stages {
+			filteredStageSteps := stage.Steps[:0]
+
+			for _, step := range stage.Steps {
+				if !slices.Contains(stepsToRemove, step.Name) {
+					filteredStageSteps = append(filteredStageSteps, step)
+					totalSteps++
+				}
+			}
+
+			_pipeline.Stages[i].Steps = filteredStageSteps
+		}
+
+		// check if any steps are left to run, excluding "init" step
+		if totalSteps <= 1 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("no steps left to run after removing skipped steps")
+		}
+	} else {
+		// if not using stages
+		filteredSteps := _pipeline.Steps[:0]
+
+		for _, step := range _pipeline.Steps {
+			if !slices.Contains(stepsToRemove, step.Name) {
+				filteredSteps = append(filteredSteps, step)
+			}
+		}
+
+		_pipeline.Steps = filteredSteps
+
+		// check if any steps are left to run, excluding "init" step
+		if len(_pipeline.Steps) <= 1 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("no steps left to run after removing skipped steps")
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}