diff --git a/.github/release-drafter.yml b/.github/release-drafter.yml
index a07d612..33db498 100644
--- a/.github/release-drafter.yml
+++ b/.github/release-drafter.yml
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ version-resolver:
   minor:
     labels:
       - 'enhancement'
+      - 'fix'
   patch:
     labels:
-      - 'fix'
       - 'documentation'
       - 'maintenance'
   default: patch
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 1ae95f5..687a4cb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 
   on:
     workflow_dispatch:
-    push:
+    pull_request:
+      types:
+        - closed
       branches:
         - main
 
@@ -12,6 +14,16 @@
 
   jobs:
     create_release:
+      # release if
+      # manual deployment OR
+      # merged to main and labelled with release labels
+      if: |
+        (github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch') ||
+        (github.event.pull_request.merged == true &&
+        (contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'breaking') ||
+        contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'enhancement') ||
+        contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'vuln') ||
+        contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'release')))
       outputs:
         full-tag: ${{ steps.release-drafter.outputs.tag_name }}
         short-tag: ${{ steps.get_tag_name.outputs.SHORT_TAG }}
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index e79d3e9..2db3bd6 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -77,4 +77,6 @@ We are using [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/en/v1.0.
 
 ## Releases
 
-Releases are automated but if you need to manually initiate a release you can do so through the GitHub Actions UI.  If you have permissions to do so, you can navigate to the [Actions tab](https://github.com/github/issue-metrics/actions/workflows/release.yml) and select the `Run workflow` button.  This will allow you to select the branch to release from and the version to release.
+Releases are automated if a pull request is labelled with our [SemVer related labels](.github/release-drafter.yml) or with the `vuln` or `release` labels.
+
+You can also manually initiate a release you can do so through the GitHub Actions UI.  If you have permissions to do so, you can navigate to the [Actions tab](https://github.com/github/issue-metrics/actions/workflows/release.yml) and select the `Run workflow` button.  This will allow you to select the branch to release from and the version to release.
diff --git a/requirements-test.txt b/requirements-test.txt
index 641c7bd..eebc014 100644
--- a/requirements-test.txt
+++ b/requirements-test.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-black==24.4.1
+black==24.4.2
 flake8==7.0.0
 mypy==1.10.0
 mypy-extensions==1.0.0
 pylint==3.1.0
-pytest==8.1.1
+pytest==8.2.0
 pytest-cov==5.0.0
 types-pytz==2024.1.0.20240417
 types-requests==2.31.0.20240406