diff --git a/.github/actions/github/branch-protection/lock/action.yml b/.github/actions/github/branch-protection/lock/action.yml
index fa7a96e1..2cc990d6 100644
--- a/.github/actions/github/branch-protection/lock/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/github/branch-protection/lock/action.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name: 'Lock branch'
 author: 'Pete Sramek'
-description: 'Apply branch protection to prevent direct pushes. Requires PRs with at least one approval.'
+description: 'Apply branch protection to prevent direct pushes. Requires PRs with configurable approval count; admins can optionally bypass all restrictions.'
 inputs:
   branch:
     description: 'Branch name to lock.'
@@ -9,7 +9,23 @@ inputs:
     description: 'GitHub token with administration:write (repo admin) permission. Use a PAT; GITHUB_TOKEN cannot call the branch protection API.'
     required: true
   lock-branch:
-    description: 'When true, sets lock_branch to prevent even PR merges (use during automated operations). When false (default), only direct pushes are blocked; PRs with required reviews can still be merged.'
+    description: 'When true, sets lock_branch to prevent even PR merges (use during automated operations). When false (default), only direct pushes are blocked; PRs can still be merged.'
+    required: false
+    default: 'false'
+  required-approving-review-count:
+    description: 'Number of approving reviews required before a PR can be merged. Set to 0 to require PRs without requiring approvals.'
+    required: false
+    default: '1'
+  dismiss-stale-reviews:
+    description: 'When true, approved reviews are dismissed when new commits are pushed to the branch.'
+    required: false
+    default: 'true'
+  bypass-admins:
+    description: 'When true, repository admins are exempt from all branch protection rules (enforce_admins is disabled). When false (default), admins are also subject to the rules.'
+    required: false
+    default: 'false'
+  skip-pull-request-reviews:
+    description: 'When true, sets required_pull_request_reviews to null (removes PR review requirement). Use temporarily before automated merges so the merge API is not blocked. When false (default), PR reviews are required as configured.'
     required: false
     default: 'false'
 
@@ -21,23 +37,32 @@ runs:
       env:
         GH_TOKEN: ${{ inputs.token }}
       run: |
-        if ! gh api --method PUT /repos/${{ github.repository }}/branches/${{ inputs.branch }}/protection \
-          --input - << 'EOF'
-        {
-          "required_status_checks": null,
-          "enforce_admins": false,
-          "required_pull_request_reviews": {
-            "dismiss_stale_reviews": true,
-            "require_code_owner_reviews": false,
-            "required_approving_review_count": 1
-          },
-          "restrictions": null,
-          "allow_force_pushes": false,
-          "allow_deletions": false,
-          "lock_branch": ${{ inputs.lock-branch }}
-        }
-        EOF
-        then
+        ENFORCE_ADMINS=true
+        if [ '${{ inputs.bypass-admins }}' = 'true' ]; then
+          ENFORCE_ADMINS=false
+        fi
+
+        PAYLOAD=$(jq -n \
+          --argjson review_count '${{ inputs.required-approving-review-count }}' \
+          --argjson dismiss_stale '${{ inputs.dismiss-stale-reviews }}' \
+          --argjson enforce_admins "$ENFORCE_ADMINS" \
+          --argjson lock_branch '${{ inputs.lock-branch }}' \
+          --argjson skip_reviews '${{ inputs.skip-pull-request-reviews }}' \
+          '{
+            "required_status_checks": null,
+            "enforce_admins": $enforce_admins,
+            "required_pull_request_reviews": (if $skip_reviews then null else {
+              "dismiss_stale_reviews": $dismiss_stale,
+              "require_code_owner_reviews": false,
+              "required_approving_review_count": $review_count
+            } end),
+            "restrictions": null,
+            "allow_force_pushes": false,
+            "allow_deletions": false,
+            "lock_branch": $lock_branch
+          }')
+
+        if ! echo "$PAYLOAD" | gh api --method PUT /repos/${{ github.repository }}/branches/${{ inputs.branch }}/protection --input -; then
           echo "::error::Failed to apply branch protection to '${{ inputs.branch }}'. Ensure the token has 'administration: write' permission and the branch exists."
           exit 1
         fi
diff --git a/.github/actions/github/branch-protection/unlock/action.yml b/.github/actions/github/branch-protection/unlock/action.yml
index 9c41d395..1f21af0a 100644
--- a/.github/actions/github/branch-protection/unlock/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/github/branch-protection/unlock/action.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ inputs:
   token:
     description: 'GitHub token with administration:write (repo admin) permission. Use a PAT; GITHUB_TOKEN cannot call the branch protection API.'
     required: true
+  fail-on-error:
+    description: 'When true, the step fails if branch protection cannot be removed. When false (default), errors are silently ignored.'
+    required: false
+    default: 'false'
 
 runs:
   using: composite
@@ -17,5 +21,9 @@ runs:
       env:
         GH_TOKEN: ${{ inputs.token }}
       run: |
-        gh api --method DELETE /repos/${{ github.repository }}/branches/${{ inputs.branch }}/protection || true
+        if [ '${{ inputs.fail-on-error }}' = 'true' ]; then
+          gh api --method DELETE /repos/${{ github.repository }}/branches/${{ inputs.branch }}/protection
+        else
+          gh api --method DELETE /repos/${{ github.repository }}/branches/${{ inputs.branch }}/protection || true
+        fi
         echo "🔓 Branch protection removed from '${{ inputs.branch }}'." >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
diff --git a/.github/workflows/backtrack.yml b/.github/workflows/backtrack.yml
index e15e1273..82f5483b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backtrack.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backtrack.yml
@@ -87,6 +87,15 @@ jobs:
           token: ${{ secrets.GH_ADMIN_TOKEN }}
           lock-branch: 'true'
 
+      - name: 'Unlock preview branch for merge'
+        if: ${{ steps.targets.outputs.preview-branch != '' }}
+        uses: './.github/actions/github/branch-protection/lock'
+        with:
+          branch: ${{ steps.targets.outputs.preview-branch }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.GH_ADMIN_TOKEN }}
+          lock-branch: 'false'
+          skip-pull-request-reviews: 'true'
+
       - name: 'Backtrack: merge ${{ github.base_ref }} into ${{ steps.targets.outputs.preview-branch }}'
         if: ${{ steps.targets.outputs.preview-branch != '' }}
         env:
@@ -97,6 +106,15 @@ jobs:
             --field head="${{ github.base_ref }}" \
             --field commit_message="Backtrack: merge ${{ github.base_ref }} into ${{ steps.targets.outputs.preview-branch }}"
 
+      - name: 'Unlock develop branch for merge'
+        if: ${{ steps.check-develop.outputs.exists == 'true' }}
+        uses: './.github/actions/github/branch-protection/lock'
+        with:
+          branch: ${{ steps.targets.outputs.develop-branch }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.GH_ADMIN_TOKEN }}
+          lock-branch: 'false'
+          skip-pull-request-reviews: 'true'
+
       - name: 'Backtrack: merge ${{ steps.targets.outputs.merge-source }} into ${{ steps.targets.outputs.develop-branch }}'
         if: ${{ steps.check-develop.outputs.exists == 'true' }}
         env:
@@ -109,27 +127,27 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: 'Restore protection: base branch'
         if: ${{ always() && steps.lock-base.outcome == 'success' }}
-        uses: './.github/actions/github/branch-protection/lock'
+        uses: './.github/actions/github/branch-protection/unlock'
         with:
           branch: ${{ github.base_ref }}
           token: ${{ secrets.GH_ADMIN_TOKEN }}
-          lock-branch: 'false'
+          fail-on-error: 'true'
 
       - name: 'Restore protection: preview branch'
         if: ${{ always() && steps.lock-preview.outcome == 'success' }}
-        uses: './.github/actions/github/branch-protection/lock'
+        uses: './.github/actions/github/branch-protection/unlock'
         with:
           branch: ${{ steps.targets.outputs.preview-branch }}
           token: ${{ secrets.GH_ADMIN_TOKEN }}
-          lock-branch: 'false'
+          fail-on-error: 'true'
 
       - name: 'Restore protection: develop branch'
         if: ${{ always() && steps.lock-develop.outcome == 'success' }}
-        uses: './.github/actions/github/branch-protection/lock'
+        uses: './.github/actions/github/branch-protection/unlock'
         with:
           branch: ${{ steps.targets.outputs.develop-branch }}
           token: ${{ secrets.GH_ADMIN_TOKEN }}
-          lock-branch: 'false'
+          fail-on-error: 'true'
 
       - name: 'Write backtrack summary'
         if: ${{ always() }}