diff --git a/.github/actions/prepare-mergeback-branch/action.yml b/.github/actions/prepare-mergeback-branch/action.yml
index 2c57dfc012..8d22e547e6 100644
--- a/.github/actions/prepare-mergeback-branch/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/prepare-mergeback-branch/action.yml
@@ -92,8 +92,7 @@ runs:
           Please do the following:
 
           - [ ] Approve running the full set of PR checks.
-          - [ ] Approve and merge the PR. When merging the PR, make sure "Create a merge commit" is
-                selected rather than "Squash and merge" or "Rebase and merge".
+          - [ ] Approve and merge the PR. When merging the PR, make sure "Create a merge commit" is selected rather than "Squash and merge" or "Rebase and merge".
         EOF
         )
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
index 4eb300704d..8ece992d48 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ defaults:
 
 jobs:
   prepare:
-    name: "Prepare release"
+    name: "Release info"
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: github.repository == 'github/codeql-action'
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/rollback-release.yml b/.github/workflows/rollback-release.yml
index c37f8a79ae..01651796ea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rollback-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rollback-release.yml
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@ on:
         required: true
   # Only for dry-runs of changes to the workflow.
   push:
-    # Don't run dry-run on release branches, to avoid an issue where the
-    # "new" tag determined by the "Prepare release" job already exists.
+    # Don't run dry-run on release branches, since that's unnecessary.
     branches-ignore:
       - releases/v*
     paths:
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ defaults:
 
 jobs:
   prepare:
-    name: "Prepare release"
+    name: "Prepare"
     if: github.repository == 'github/codeql-action'
 
     permissions:
@@ -107,8 +106,10 @@ jobs:
           # We usually expect to checkout `inputs.rollback-tag` (required for `workflow_dispatch`),
           # but use `v0.0.0` for testing.
           ROLLBACK_TAG: ${{ inputs.rollback-tag || 'v0.0.0' }}
-          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ needs.prepare.outputs.version }}
-          MAJOR_VERSION_TAG: ${{ needs.prepare.outputs.major_version }}
+          # Use `needs.prepare.outputs.version` for actual runs and `v0.0.1` for testing.
+          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ case(github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch', needs.prepare.outputs.version, 'v0.0.1') }}
+          # Use `needs.prepare.outputs.major_version` for actual runs and `v0` for testing.
+          MAJOR_VERSION_TAG: ${{ case(github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch', needs.prepare.outputs.major_version, 'v0') }}
         run: |
           git checkout "refs/tags/${ROLLBACK_TAG}"
           git tag --annotate "${RELEASE_TAG}" --message "${RELEASE_TAG}"
@@ -184,4 +185,3 @@ jobs:
           # Setting this to `true` for non-workflow_dispatch events will
           # still push the `branch`, but won't create a corresponding PR
           dry-run: "${{ github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' }}"
-
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-release-branch.yml b/.github/workflows/update-release-branch.yml
index 9f38f0f0b4..a506b87ce4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-release-branch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-release-branch.yml
@@ -16,15 +16,15 @@ defaults:
     shell: bash
 
 jobs:
-
   prepare:
-    name: "Prepare release"
+    name: "Prepare"
     permissions:
       contents: read
 
     uses: ./.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
 
   update:
+    name: "Update release branch"
     timeout-minutes: 45
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ jobs:
           --conductor ${GITHUB_ACTOR}
 
   backport:
+    name: "Create backport"
     timeout-minutes: 45
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     environment: Automation
diff --git a/pr-checks/excluded.yml b/pr-checks/excluded.yml
index 1a5262fc0b..5563a3e179 100644
--- a/pr-checks/excluded.yml
+++ b/pr-checks/excluded.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ contains:
   - "test-setup-python-scripts"
   - "update"
   - "Update"
+  # Matrix-ed job; the name starts with this
+  - "Create backport"
 is:
   - "Agent"
   - "check-expected-release-files"
@@ -15,4 +17,6 @@ is:
   - "Label PR with size"
   - "Post repo size comment"
   - "Prepare"
+  - "Release info"
   - "Upload results"
+  - "Update release branch"