diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index fb121a712..cc89f631c 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -4,26 +4,42 @@
 version: 2
 updates:
   # This is to update requirements.txt files in the guided-demos, and e2e directories.
-  # The group configuration option is used to group updates for consistency across related directories.
   - package-ecosystem: "pip"
     directories:
       - "**/demo-notebooks/guided-demos*"
       - "/tests/e2e"
     schedule:
-      interval: "weekly"
-    groups:
-      requirements.txt:
-        patterns:
-          - "*"
-    open-pull-requests-limit: 10
+      interval: "daily"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-patch"]
+    open-pull-requests-limit: 4
     labels:
+      - "dependabot"
       - "test-guided-notebooks"
 
   # pip means poetry in this case, this keeps poetry.lock up to date with constraints in pyproject.toml.
   - package-ecosystem: "pip"
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
-      interval: "weekly"
-    open-pull-requests-limit: 10
+      interval: "daily"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-patch"]
+    open-pull-requests-limit: 1
     labels:
+      - "dependabot"
       - "test-guided-notebooks"
+
+  # npm means yarn in this case, this keeps yarn.lock up to date with constraints in package.json.
+  - package-ecosystem: "npm"
+    directory: "/ui-tests"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "daily"
+    ignore:
+      - dependency-name: "*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-patch"]
+    open-pull-requests-limit: 1
+    labels:
+      - "dependabot"
+      - "test-ui-notebooks"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependabot-labeler.yaml b/.github/workflows/dependabot-labeler.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..69c94617c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependabot-labeler.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# This workflow file adds the 'lgtm' and 'approved' labels to Dependabot PRs
+# This is done to ensure that the PRs that pass e2e are automatically merged/added to merge-queues by the CodeFlare bot
+name: Dependabot Labeler
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    types: [ labeled, synchronize, opened, reopened ]
+
+jobs:
+    add-approve-lgtm-label:
+        if: ${{ github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]' && contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'dependabot') }}
+        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+        # Permission required to edit a PR
+        permissions:
+          pull-requests: write
+          issues: write
+
+        steps:
+            - name: Checkout code
+              uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+            - name: Add approve and lgtm labels to Dependabot PR
+              run: |
+                  gh pr edit ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --add-label "lgtm" --add-label "approved"
+              env:
+                GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODEFLARE_MACHINE_ACCOUNT_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e_tests.yaml
index d216df9d7..2caf8a017 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e_tests.yaml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ name: e2e
 
 on:
   pull_request:
+    types: [ labeled, synchronize, opened, reopened ]
     branches:
       - main
       - 'release-*'
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ on:
       - '**.adoc'
       - '**.md'
       - 'LICENSE'
+  merge_group:
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.head_ref }}-${{ github.workflow }}
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ env:
 
 jobs:
   kubernetes:
-
+    if: contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'e2e') || github.event_name == 'merge_group'
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04-4core-gpu
 
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/guided_notebook_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/guided_notebook_tests.yaml
index eb6c5cd26..46979aa96 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/guided_notebook_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/guided_notebook_tests.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: Guided notebooks tests
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    types: [ labeled ]
+    types: [ labeled, synchronize, opened, reopened ]
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.head_ref }}-${{ github.workflow }}
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ env:
 
 jobs:
   verify-0_basic_ray:
-    if: ${{ github.event.label.name == 'test-guided-notebooks' }}
+    if: contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'test-guided-notebooks')
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04-4core
 
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yaml b/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yaml
index 4aa518824..e5c166464 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ on:
       - 'v*'
   pull_request:
   workflow_dispatch:
+  merge_group:
 
 jobs:
   precommit:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ui_notebooks_test.yaml b/.github/workflows/ui_notebooks_test.yaml
index 283486e6b..cac6641a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ui_notebooks_test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ui_notebooks_test.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: UI notebooks tests
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    types: [labeled]
+    types: [ labeled, synchronize, opened, reopened ]
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.head_ref }}-${{ github.workflow }}
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ env:
 
 jobs:
   verify-3_widget_example:
-    if: ${{ github.event.label.name == 'test-guided-notebooks' || github.event.label.name == 'test-ui-notebooks'}}
+    if: contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'test-guided-notebooks') || contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'test-ui-notebooks')
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04-4core
 
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
index b7d8ba613..7391bb408 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ on:
     branches: [ main ]
   pull_request:
     branches: [ main ]
+  merge_group:
 
 jobs:
   unit-tests: