diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-merge-freeze.yml b/.github/workflows/check-merge-freeze.yml
index c24b32dc718..d30fa39495b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-merge-freeze.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-merge-freeze.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: Merge freeze
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    types: [opened, ready_for_review, synchronize, reopened, labeled, unlabeled]
+    types: [opened, ready_for_review, synchronize, reopened, labeled, unlabeled, enqueued]
     branches: [main]
   merge_group:
     types: [checks_requested]
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ jobs:
   check-merge-freeze:
     name: Check
     # This condition is to avoid blocking the PR causing the freeze in the first place.
-    if: ${{ !contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'release:merge-freeze') }}
+    if: |
+      (!startsWith(github.event.pull_request.title || github.event.merge_group.head_commit.message, '[chore] Prepare release')) ||
+      (github.event.pull_request.user.login || github.event.merge_group.head_commit.author.name) != 'opentelemetrybot'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4.2.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
index 00a48e478ca..b363c6bd8a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
@@ -101,8 +101,7 @@ jobs:
       #   - Run make prepare-release PREVIOUS_VERSION=0.52.0 RELEASE_CANDIDATE=0.53.0 MODSET=beta
       - name: Prepare release for core
         env:
-          BOT_GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.OPENTELEMETRYBOT_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.OPENTELEMETRYBOT_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           REPO: open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector
           CANDIDATE_BETA: ${{ inputs.candidate-beta }}
           CANDIDATE_STABLE: ${{ inputs.candidate-stable }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/scripts/check-merge-freeze.sh b/.github/workflows/scripts/check-merge-freeze.sh
index efd8927b17d..9cb59dd80b3 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/scripts/check-merge-freeze.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/scripts/check-merge-freeze.sh
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 # Copyright The OpenTelemetry Authors
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
-BLOCKERS=$( gh pr list --search "label:release:merge-freeze" --json url --jq '.[].url' --repo "${REPO}" )
+BLOCKERS=$( gh pr list -A opentelemetrybot -S "[chore] Prepare release" --json url -q '.[].url' -R "${REPO}" )
 if [ "${BLOCKERS}" != "" ]; then
-    echo "Merging in main is frozen, as there are open PRs labeled 'release:merge-freeze': ${BLOCKERS}"
+    echo "Merging in main is frozen, as there are open \"Prepare release\" PRs: ${BLOCKERS}"
     echo "If you believe this is no longer true, re-run this job to unblock your PR."
     exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/scripts/release-prepare-release.sh b/.github/workflows/scripts/release-prepare-release.sh
index e3438ec5950..80884a73786 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/scripts/release-prepare-release.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/scripts/release-prepare-release.sh
@@ -42,11 +42,8 @@ fi
 git push origin "${BRANCH}"
 
 # Use OpenTelemetryBot account to create PR, allowing workflows to run
-PR=$(GITHUB_TOKEN="$BOT_GITHUB_TOKEN" gh pr create --title "[chore] Prepare release ${RELEASE_VERSION}" --body "
+# The title must match the checks in check-merge-freeze.yml
+gh pr create --title "[chore] Prepare release ${RELEASE_VERSION}" --body "
 The following commands were run to prepare this release:
 ${COMMANDS}
-")
-
-# The `release:merge-freeze` label will cause the `check-merge-freeze` workflow to fail, enforcing the freeze.
-# The bot does not have permissions to add labels, so this is done using the CI action token.
-gh pr edit "$PR" --add-label release:merge-freeze || echo "Failed to add merge-freeze label"
+"