diff --git a/.github/update-release-branch.py b/.github/update-release-branch.py
index 1addbaced6..71f1cd1c75 100644
--- a/.github/update-release-branch.py
+++ b/.github/update-release-branch.py
@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@ def open_pr(repo, all_commits, short_main_sha, branch_name):
   title = 'Merge ' + MAIN_BRANCH + ' into ' + LATEST_RELEASE_BRANCH
 
   # Create the pull request
-  pr = repo.create_pull(title=title, body='\n'.join(body), head=branch_name, base=LATEST_RELEASE_BRANCH)
+  # PR checks won't be triggered on PRs created by Actions. Therefore mark the PR as draft so that
+  # a maintainer can take the PR out of draft, thereby triggering the PR checks.
+  pr = repo.create_pull(title=title, body='\n'.join(body), head=branch_name, base=LATEST_RELEASE_BRANCH, draft=True)
   print('Created PR #' + str(pr.number))
 
   # Assign the conductor
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-expected-release-files.yml b/.github/workflows/check-expected-release-files.yml
index 56aa62519f..123495e239 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-expected-release-files.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-expected-release-files.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ on:
     paths:
       - .github/workflows/check-expected-release-files.yml
       - src/defaults.json
+    # Run checks on reopened draft PRs to support triggering PR checks on draft PRs that were opened
+    # by other workflows.
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, ready_for_review]
 
 jobs:
   check-expected-release-files:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
index 3050dabeca..37d759d354 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ on:
     branches: [main, v1]
   pull_request:
     branches: [main, v1]
+    # Run checks on reopened draft PRs to support triggering PR checks on draft PRs that were opened
+    # by other workflows.
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, ready_for_review]
 
 jobs:
   # Identify the CodeQL tool versions to use in the analysis job.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/post-release-mergeback.yml b/.github/workflows/post-release-mergeback.yml
index ee92adbb4f..636bd18d13 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/post-release-mergeback.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/post-release-mergeback.yml
@@ -106,19 +106,14 @@ jobs:
           git commit -m "Update changelog and version after $VERSION"
           npm version patch
 
-          # when running this workflow on a PR, this is just a test.
-          # so put into draft mode.
-          if [ "$GITHUB_EVENT_NAME" == "pull_request" ]; then
-            DRAFT="--draft"
-          else
-            DRAFT=""
-          fi
-
           git push origin "$NEW_BRANCH"
+
+          # PR checks won't be triggered on PRs created by Actions. Therefore mark the PR as draft
+          # so that a maintainer can take the PR out of draft, thereby triggering the PR checks.
           gh pr create \
             --head "$NEW_BRANCH" \
             --base "$BASE_BRANCH" \
             --title "$PR_TITLE" \
             --label "Update dependencies" \
             --body "$PR_BODY" \
-            ${DRAFT:+"$DRAFT"} # no quotes around $DRAFT. gh will error out if there is an empty ""
+            --draft
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-checks.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-checks.yml
index 18ae979141..7bc1a76e13 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-checks.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ on:
   push:
     branches: [main, v1]
   pull_request:
+    # Run checks on reopened draft PRs to support triggering PR checks on draft PRs that were opened
+    # by other workflows.
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, ready_for_review]
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-deps.yml b/.github/workflows/python-deps.yml
index 63fbafb894..9cf5c0ad2b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-deps.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-deps.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ on:
   push:
     branches: [main, v1]
   pull_request:
+    # Run checks on reopened draft PRs to support triggering PR checks on draft PRs that were opened
+    # by other workflows.
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, ready_for_review]
 
 jobs:
   test-setup-python-scripts:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-dependencies.yml b/.github/workflows/update-dependencies.yml
index afd20effb8..51ac918678 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-dependencies.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-dependencies.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 name: Update dependencies
 on:
   pull_request_target:
-    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, labeled]
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, ready_for_review, labeled]
 
 jobs:
   update:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-release-branch.yml b/.github/workflows/update-release-branch.yml
index f6a8510848..60817f2151 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-release-branch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-release-branch.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip
-        pip install PyGithub==1.51 requests
+        pip install PyGithub==1.55 requests
 
     - name: Update git config
       run: |