diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 277054c90..f9d179191 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 version: 2
 updates:
-  - package-ecosystem: 'gomod'
+  - package-ecosystem: gomod
     directory: '/'
     labels:
+      - "area/dependency"
       - "ok-to-test"
     allow:
       - dependency-name: "github.com/openshift/osd-network-verifier"
       - dependency-name: "github.com/openshift/backplane-cli"
     schedule:
-      interval: 'daily'
+      interval: 'weekly'
+    open-pull-requests-limit: 10
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependabot-auto-merge.yml b/.github/workflows/dependabot-auto-merge.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3334b21f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependabot-auto-merge.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+name: Dependabot Auto-Merge
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, ready_for_review]
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+  pull-requests: write
+
+jobs:
+  dependabot:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: |
+      github.event.pull_request.user.login == 'dependabot[bot]' &&
+      github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository
+    steps:
+      - name: Fetch Dependabot metadata
+        id: metadata
+        uses: dependabot/fetch-metadata@21025c705c08248db411dc16f3619e6b5f9ea21a # v2
+        with:
+          github-token: "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
+
+      - name: Enable auto-merge for patch and minor updates
+        if: |
+          steps.metadata.outputs.update-type == 'version-update:semver-patch' ||
+          steps.metadata.outputs.update-type == 'version-update:semver-minor'
+        run: gh pr merge --auto --squash "$PR_URL"
+        env:
+          PR_URL: ${{ github.event.pull_request.html_url }}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Comment on major version updates
+        if: |
+          github.event.action == 'opened' &&
+          steps.metadata.outputs.update-type == 'version-update:semver-major'
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          DEPENDENCY_NAMES: ${{ steps.metadata.outputs.dependency-names }}
+          PREVIOUS_VERSION: ${{ steps.metadata.outputs.previous-version }}
+          NEW_VERSION: ${{ steps.metadata.outputs.new-version }}
+          PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
+          REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          gh api \
+            --method POST \
+            -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
+            "/repos/${REPOSITORY}/issues/${PR_NUMBER}/comments" \
+            -f body="Major version update detected for ${DEPENDENCY_NAMES} (${PREVIOUS_VERSION} -> ${NEW_VERSION}). Auto-merge is disabled; manual review required."