diff --git a/.github/actions/git/configure-identity/action.yml b/.github/actions/git/configure-identity/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ece38a74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/git/configure-identity/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+name: 'Configure git identity'
+author: 'Pete Sramek'
+description: 'Configures git user name and email from the last commit.'
+
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+    - name: 'Configure git identity'
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        git config user.name "$(git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%an)"
+        git config user.email "$(git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%ae)"
diff --git a/.github/actions/git/push-changes/action.yml b/.github/actions/git/push-changes/action.yml
index 31ddd3f2..5c728462 100644
--- a/.github/actions/git/push-changes/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/git/push-changes/action.yml
@@ -87,12 +87,14 @@ runs:
         set -e
       working-directory: ${{ inputs.working-directory }}
 
+    - name: Configure git identity
+      if: ${{ fromJSON(steps.validate.outputs.has-changes) == '1' }}
+      uses: './.github/actions/git/configure-identity'
+
     - name: Push changes to ${{ github.head_ref || github.ref }}
       if: ${{ fromJSON(steps.validate.outputs.has-changes) == '1' }}
       shell: bash
       run: |
-        git config user.name "$(git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%an)"
-        git config user.email "$(git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%ae)"
         git commit -m '${{ inputs.commit-message }}'
         git pull --rebase origin ${{ github.head_ref || github.ref }}
         git push
diff --git a/.github/actions/github/create-release/action.yml b/.github/actions/github/create-release/action.yml
index cc93fc7f..3ded70f2 100644
--- a/.github/actions/github/create-release/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/github/create-release/action.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ runs:
         echo "notes-start-tag=${{ inputs.notes-start-tag }}"
         echo "notes-start-tag-argument=${{ inputs.notes-start-tag != '' && format('--notes-start-tag {0}', inputs.notes-start-tag) || '' }}"
       shell: bash
+    - name: 'Configure git identity'
+      uses: './.github/actions/git/configure-identity'
     - name: 'Create git tag ${{ inputs.release-version }}'
       shell: bash
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/backtrack.yml b/.github/workflows/backtrack.yml
index 82f5483b..9149061f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backtrack.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backtrack.yml
@@ -30,9 +30,7 @@ jobs:
           token: ${{ secrets.GH_ADMIN_TOKEN }}
 
       - name: 'Configure git'
-        run: |
-          git config user.name "$(git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%an)"
-          git config user.email "$(git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%ae)"
+        uses: './.github/actions/git/configure-identity'
 
       - name: 'Resolve backtrack targets'
         id: targets
diff --git a/.github/workflows/bump-version.yml b/.github/workflows/bump-version.yml
index 6f79680c..2abd97ba 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bump-version.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bump-version.yml
@@ -113,9 +113,7 @@ jobs:
           dotnet-version: ${{ env.dotnet-sdk-version }}
 
       - name: 'Configure git'
-        run: |
-          git config user.name "$(git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%an)"
-          git config user.email "$(git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%ae)"
+        uses: './.github/actions/git/configure-identity'
 
       - name: 'Create develop branch from main'
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/promote-branch.yml b/.github/workflows/promote-branch.yml
index 8e566ec3..31300ba8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/promote-branch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/promote-branch.yml
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ jobs:
         target-branch-exists: ${{ steps.check-target-branch-exists.outputs.target-branch-exists }}
         pull-request-exists: ${{ steps.check-pull-request-exists.outputs.pull-request-exists }}
     steps:
+      - name: 'Checkout ${{ github.head_ref || github.ref }}'
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
       - name: 'Set target branch'
         id: set-target-branch
         run: |
@@ -211,12 +213,6 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           git fetch origin
           git push origin origin/${{ env.base-branch }}:refs/heads/${{ env.target-branch }}
-      - name: 'Lock target branch'
-        if: ${{ needs.workflow-variables.outputs.target-branch-exists == 'false' }}
-        uses: './.github/actions/github/branch-protection/lock'
-        with:
-          branch: ${{ needs.workflow-variables.outputs.target-branch }}
-          token: ${{ secrets.GH_ADMIN_TOKEN }}
       - name: 'Create PR: "Promote ${{ env.current-branch }} to ${{ env.target-branch }}"'
         if: ${{ needs.workflow-variables.outputs.pull-request-exists == 'false' }}
         env:
@@ -224,4 +220,5 @@ jobs:
           current-branch: ${{ github.ref_name }}
           target-branch: ${{ needs.workflow-variables.outputs.target-branch }}
         run: |
+            git fetch origin ${{ env.target-branch }}
             gh pr create --title "Promote ${{ env.current-branch }} to ${{ env.target-branch }}" --fill --base ${{ env.target-branch }} --head ${{ env.current-branch }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
index 29392ddf..4f8917b0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ on:
       - synchronize
       - reopened
     branches:
+      - 'develop/**'
       - 'preview/**'
-      - 'release/**' 
+      - 'release/**'
 
 permissions:
   actions: read
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index f8997287..c9df3e77 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -358,11 +358,13 @@ jobs:
             echo "support-branch-exists=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           fi
 
+      - name: 'Configure git identity'
+        if: ${{ steps.check-support-branch.outputs.support-branch-exists == 'false' }}
+        uses: './.github/actions/git/configure-identity'
+
       - name: 'Create support branch'
         if: ${{ steps.check-support-branch.outputs.support-branch-exists == 'false' }}
         run: |
-          git config user.name "$(git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%an)"
-          git config user.email "$(git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%ae)"
           git checkout -b "${{ steps.resolve-support-branch.outputs.support-branch }}"
           git push --set-upstream origin "${{ steps.resolve-support-branch.outputs.support-branch }}"