diff --git a/.github/workflows/branch-protection.yml b/.github/workflows/branch-protection.yml
index 8dbb1b010..637da8bee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/branch-protection.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/branch-protection.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
           : "${BRANCH_NAME:?github.head_ref is required}"
 
           # Valid patterns: bugfix/, hotfix/, feature/, infrastructure/, maintenance/, content/
-          if [[ ! $BRANCH_NAME =~ ^(bugfix|hotfix|feature|infrastructure|maintenance|content)/[a-z0-9-]+$ ]]; then
+          if [[ ! $BRANCH_NAME =~ ^(bugfix|hotfix|feature|infrastructure|maintenance|content|dependabot)/[a-z0-9-]+$ ]]; then
             echo "❌ Invalid branch name: $BRANCH_NAME"
             echo ""
             echo "Branch names must follow one of these patterns:"
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ jobs:
             echo "  - infrastructure/<desc>    (e.g., infrastructure/setup-ci)"
             echo "  - maintenance/<desc>       (e.g., maintenance/update-dependencies)"
             echo "  - content/<description>    (e.g., content/update-about-page)"
+            echo "  - dependabot/<description> (machine generated)"
             echo ""
             echo "Use lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only."
             exit 1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
index 8f7d74ed8..81c2d7e0a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ on:
 jobs:
   analyze:
     name: Analyze Code
+    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' || !startsWith(github.head_ref, 'hotfix/')
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
       actions: read
diff --git a/.github/workflows/deployment.yml b/.github/workflows/deployment.yml
index 6084c7c99..16f5602ac 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deployment.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deployment.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ permissions:
   pull-requests: write
   issues: write
   deployments: write
+  checks: write
 
 jobs:
   verify-ci:
@@ -25,6 +26,14 @@ jobs:
         with:
           script: |
             const runId = context.payload.workflow_run.id;
+            const workflowRun = context.payload.workflow_run;
+            const branch = workflowRun?.head_branch ?? '';
+            const isHotfix = branch.startsWith('hotfix/');
+            if (workflowRun?.event === 'pull_request' && isHotfix) {
+              core.notice('Hotfix branch: skipping CI verification requirements.');
+              return;
+            }
+
             const requiredJobs = ['Lint', 'Unit Tests'];
             const { data } = await github.rest.actions.listJobsForWorkflowRun({
               owner: context.repo.owner,
@@ -50,7 +59,11 @@ jobs:
     if: >-
       needs.verify-ci.result == 'success' &&
       github.event.workflow_run.conclusion == 'success' &&
-      github.event.workflow_run.event == 'pull_request'
+      github.event.workflow_run.event == 'pull_request' &&
+      !startsWith(github.event.workflow_run.head_branch, 'hotfix/')
+
+    outputs:
+      previewUrl: ${{ steps.vercel-preview.outputs.preview-url }}
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
@@ -257,6 +270,99 @@ jobs:
               body: `❌ Preview deployment failed.${linkLine}\n\nPlease review the Vercel build logs for details.`
             });
 
+  publish-preview-status:
+    name: Publish Preview Status
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs:
+      - verify-ci
+      - deploy-preview
+    if: always() && github.event.workflow_run.event == 'pull_request'
+    steps:
+      - name: Publish required check run
+        uses: actions/github-script@v8
+        env:
+          VERIFY_RESULT: ${{ needs.verify-ci.result }}
+          DEPLOY_RESULT: ${{ needs.deploy-preview.result }}
+          PREVIEW_URL: ${{ needs.deploy-preview.outputs.previewUrl }}
+        with:
+          script: |
+            const workflowRun = context.payload.workflow_run;
+            const sha = workflowRun?.head_sha;
+            if (!sha) {
+              core.warning('Missing workflow_run.head_sha; cannot publish check run.');
+              return;
+            }
+
+            const branch = workflowRun?.head_branch ?? '';
+            const isHotfix = branch.startsWith('hotfix/');
+            const verifyResult = process.env.VERIFY_RESULT || 'unknown';
+            const deployResult = process.env.DEPLOY_RESULT || 'unknown';
+            const previewUrl = (process.env.PREVIEW_URL || '').trim();
+
+            const checkName = 'Deploy Preview to Vercel';
+            const detailsUrl = `https://github.com/${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}/actions/runs/${context.runId}`;
+
+            let conclusion = 'success';
+            let summary = '';
+
+            if (isHotfix) {
+              conclusion = 'success';
+              summary = 'Hotfix branch: preview deploy intentionally skipped.';
+            } else if (verifyResult !== 'success') {
+              conclusion = 'failure';
+              summary = `CI verification failed (${verifyResult}).`;
+            } else if (deployResult === 'success') {
+              conclusion = 'success';
+              summary = previewUrl ? `Preview deployed: ${previewUrl}` : 'Preview deployed.';
+            } else {
+              conclusion = 'failure';
+              summary = `Preview deployment failed (${deployResult}).`;
+            }
+
+            const output = {
+              title: checkName,
+              summary: `${summary}\n\nDetails: ${detailsUrl}`
+            };
+
+            const owner = context.repo.owner;
+            const repo = context.repo.repo;
+            const completed_at = new Date().toISOString();
+
+            const { data } = await github.rest.checks.listForRef({
+              owner,
+              repo,
+              ref: sha,
+              filter: 'latest',
+              per_page: 100
+            });
+
+            const existing = (data.check_runs || []).find((run) => run.name === checkName);
+            if (existing) {
+              await github.rest.checks.update({
+                owner,
+                repo,
+                check_run_id: existing.id,
+                status: 'completed',
+                conclusion,
+                completed_at,
+                output,
+                details_url: detailsUrl
+              });
+              return;
+            }
+
+            await github.rest.checks.create({
+              owner,
+              repo,
+              name: checkName,
+              head_sha: sha,
+              status: 'completed',
+              conclusion,
+              completed_at,
+              output,
+              details_url: detailsUrl
+            });
+
   deploy-production:
     name: Deploy to Production (Vercel)
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.husky/scripts/check-branch-name.sh b/.husky/scripts/check-branch-name.sh
index 0cb9d9f8e..a624f1f95 100755
--- a/.husky/scripts/check-branch-name.sh
+++ b/.husky/scripts/check-branch-name.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 branch=$(git symbolic-ref --short HEAD)
 
 # Define valid branch name patterns
-valid_patterns="^(bugfix|hotfix|feature|infrastructure|content|maintenance)\/[a-z0-9-]+$"
+valid_patterns="^(bugfix|hotfix|feature|infrastructure|content|maintenance|dependabot)\/[a-z0-9-]+$"
 
 # Allow main and develop branches (for merges)
 if [ "$branch" = "main" ] || [ "$branch" = "develop" ]; then
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ if ! echo "$branch" | grep -Eq "$valid_patterns"; then
   echo "  - infrastructure/<desc>    (e.g., infrastructure/setup-ci)"
   echo "  - maintenance/<desc>       (e.g., maintenance/update-dependencies)"
   echo "  - content/<description>    (e.g., content/update-about-page)"
+  echo "  - dependabot/<description> (machine generated)"
   echo ""
   echo "Use lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only."
   echo ""