diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-tag-rc.yml b/.github/workflows/auto-tag-rc.yml
index 9c14641..f9408fd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/auto-tag-rc.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-tag-rc.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
       contents: write
+    outputs:
+      tag: ${{ steps.tagger.outputs.TAG }}
+      rc_branch: ${{ steps.tagger.outputs.RC_BRANCH }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
@@ -21,7 +24,8 @@ jobs:
         id: tagger
         run: |
           # Use base ref (the target branch) since github.ref points to refs/pull/*/merge during PR events
-          VERSION=$(echo "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.ref }}" | sed -E 's#rc/##')
+          RC_BRANCH="${{ github.event.pull_request.base.ref }}"
+          VERSION=$(echo "$RC_BRANCH" | sed -E 's#rc/##')
           PREFIX="$VERSION-rc"
 
           echo "Looking for previous tags matching $PREFIX.*"
@@ -32,6 +36,7 @@ jobs:
           TAG="$PREFIX.$NEXT"
 
           echo "TAG=$TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "RC_BRANCH=$RC_BRANCH" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
       - name: Create and push tag
         run: |
@@ -39,3 +44,90 @@ jobs:
           git config user.email github-actions@users.noreply.github.com
           git tag ${{ steps.tagger.outputs.TAG }}
           git push origin ${{ steps.tagger.outputs.TAG }}
+
+  sync-rc-to-dev:
+    needs: auto-tag-rc
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+      pull-requests: write
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Check if sync is needed
+        id: check-sync
+        run: |
+          RC_BRANCH="${{ needs.auto-tag-rc.outputs.rc_branch }}"
+          git fetch origin dev "$RC_BRANCH"
+
+          # Check if there are commits in rc that aren't in dev
+          COMMITS_AHEAD=$(git rev-list --count origin/dev..origin/$RC_BRANCH)
+
+          if [ "$COMMITS_AHEAD" -eq 0 ]; then
+            echo "No commits to sync from $RC_BRANCH to dev"
+            echo "needs_sync=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          else
+            echo "$COMMITS_AHEAD commits ahead - sync needed"
+            echo "needs_sync=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          fi
+
+      - name: Create sync PR
+        if: steps.check-sync.outputs.needs_sync == 'true'
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            const rcBranch = '${{ needs.auto-tag-rc.outputs.rc_branch }}';
+            const tag = '${{ needs.auto-tag-rc.outputs.tag }}';
+
+            // Find and close any existing sync PRs for this RC branch (superseded by the new one)
+            const existingPRs = await github.rest.pulls.list({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              state: 'open',
+              head: `${context.repo.owner}:${rcBranch}`,
+              base: 'dev'
+            });
+
+            for (const oldPR of existingPRs.data) {
+              console.log(`Closing superseded sync PR #${oldPR.number}`);
+
+              await github.rest.issues.createComment({
+                owner: context.repo.owner,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                issue_number: oldPR.number,
+                body: `Closing this PR as it has been superseded by a newer RC tag: \`${tag}\`.\n\nA new sync PR will be created with all the latest changes.`
+              });
+
+              await github.rest.pulls.update({
+                owner: context.repo.owner,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                pull_number: oldPR.number,
+                state: 'closed'
+              });
+            }
+
+            // Create the new PR
+            const pr = await github.rest.pulls.create({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              title: `Sync ${rcBranch} to dev`,
+              body: `## Automated RC Sync
+
+            This PR syncs changes from \`${rcBranch}\` back to \`dev\` to prevent branch deviation.
+
+            **Triggered by:** ${tag}
+
+            ### Review Notes
+            - Please review any hotfix changes that were applied directly to the RC branch
+            - Resolve any merge conflicts that may arise
+            - This helps ensure dev stays up-to-date with release fixes
+
+            ---
+            *This PR was automatically created by the sync-rc-to-dev workflow.*`,
+              head: rcBranch,
+              base: 'dev'
+            });
+
+            console.log(`Created PR #${pr.data.number}: ${pr.data.html_url}`);
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 2e1bd70..791d75c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Zaino Release
+name: Release
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -8,8 +8,27 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
+  # Check if Docker secrets are configured
+  check-docker-config:
+    name: Check Docker configuration
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      docker_configured: ${{ steps.check.outputs.configured }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Check for Docker secrets
+        id: check
+        run: |
+          if [ -n "${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}" ] && [ -n "${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_ACCESS_TOKEN }}" ]; then
+            echo "configured=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          else
+            echo "configured=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "::notice::Docker secrets not configured - skipping Docker builds"
+          fi
+
   docker:
     name: Docker images (build+push)
+    needs: check-docker-config
+    if: needs.check-docker-config.outputs.docker_configured == 'true'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
       PUSH_IMAGES: true
@@ -75,7 +94,9 @@ jobs:
             type=gha,mode=max
 
   create-release:
-    needs: docker
+    needs: [check-docker-config, docker]
+    # Run even if docker was skipped (but not if it failed)
+    if: always() && (needs.docker.result == 'success' || needs.docker.result == 'skipped')
     name: Create GitHub Release
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8ad2dea..b2ee18f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
 # Release Flow Test Repo
+hotfix for issue 1
+hotfix for issue 2
+hotfix for issue 3