diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr.yml b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
index 763578ec..0de77baf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0 # v7.0.0
+        with:
+          # The PR merge commit and its first parent (the base), so the
+          # drift check can see which files the PR changes.
+          fetch-depth: 2
       - name: Set up Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e # v6.4.0
         with:
@@ -39,8 +43,34 @@ jobs:
         # ncc 0.44 produces code-split chunks alongside dist/index.js
         # (e.g. dist/136.index.js); the whole dist/ tree must stay in
         # sync with src/.
+        #
+        # Dependabot PRs that touch only package.json/package-lock.json are
+        # the exception. A runtime dependency bump changes the bundle, but
+        # Dependabot cannot rebuild dist/. package.yml rebuilds, attests and
+        # commits dist/ on main after merge, so for those PRs the rebuild
+        # above must still succeed but drift is reported as a warning. A
+        # Dependabot PR that someone has pushed other changes to is checked
+        # as usual. dist/ is not committed here on the PR's behalf: that
+        # would need a write token while `npm ci` runs the just-bumped
+        # package's install scripts.
+        env:
+          DEPENDABOT: ${{ github.event.pull_request.user.login == 'dependabot[bot]' }}
         run: |
           if ! git diff --quiet -- dist/ || [ -n "$(git status --porcelain -- dist/)" ]; then
+            other=$(git diff --name-only HEAD^1 HEAD | grep -v -x -E 'package\.json|package-lock\.json' || true)
+            if [ "$DEPENDABOT" = "true" ] && [ -z "$other" ]; then
+              echo "::warning::dist/ changes with this dependency bump; package.yml rebuilds and commits it on main after merge."
+              {
+                echo "### dist/ will be rebuilt after merge"
+                echo
+                echo "This Dependabot bump changes the bundle. \`package.yml\` rebuilds and commits \`dist/\` on \`main\` once it is merged."
+                echo
+                echo '```'
+                git diff --stat -- dist/
+                echo '```'
+              } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+              exit 0
+            fi
             echo "::error::dist/ is out of sync with src/."
             echo "::error::Run 'npm run package' locally and commit the rebuilt dist/."
             git status --porcelain -- dist/
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index d36a06cc..d95781f8 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ When reviewing or editing `userData` in `src/aws.js`:
 npm run package
 ```
 
-CI's `verify-dist` job will fail the PR if `dist/` drifts from a clean build.
+CI's `verify-dist` job will fail the PR if `dist/` drifts from a clean build. The one exception is a Dependabot PR that changes only `package.json`/`package-lock.json`: drift there is a warning, because Dependabot cannot rebuild `dist/` and `package.yml` rebuilds and commits it on `main` after merge.
 
 ## Tests