diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependabot-automerge.yml b/.github/workflows/dependabot-automerge.yml
index a8af4e7f79..a54abe7f27 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dependabot-automerge.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependabot-automerge.yml
@@ -4,10 +4,17 @@ on: pull_request
 jobs:
   dependabot:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: ${{ github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]' }}
+    # TODO: remove head_ref condition
+    if: ${{ github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]' || github.head_ref == 'dependabot/cargo/main/clap-4.4.4' }}
     steps:
+      - name: Dump GitHub context (temporary) # TODO: remove this step
+        run: echo "$GITHUB_CONTEXT"
+        env:
+          GITHUB_CONTEXT: ${{ toJson(github) }}
       - name: Approve & enable auto-merge for Dependabot PRs
-        run: gh pr review --approve -b "Auto-approving dependabot PR." "$PR_URL" && gh pr merge --auto --squash "$PR_URL"
+        # TODO: restore auto-merge
+        # run: gh pr review --approve -b "Auto-approving dependabot PR." "$PR_URL" && gh pr merge --auto --squash "$PR_URL"
+        run: gh pr review --approve -b "Auto-approving dependabot PR." "$PR_URL"
         env:
-          PR_URL: ${{github.event.pull_request.html_url}}
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{secrets.DIVVIUP_GITHUB_AUTOMATION_DEPENDABOT_APPROVER_PAT}}
+          PR_URL: ${{ github.event.pull_request.html_url }}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.DIVVIUP_GITHUB_AUTOMATION_DEPENDABOT_APPROVER_PAT }}