diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yaml b/.github/dependabot.yaml
index a979eebee..be0067e63 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yaml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,43 @@
 version: 2
+
+multi-ecosystem-groups:
+  build:
+    schedule:
+      interval: "monthly"
+
 updates:
+  - package-ecosystem: "gradle"
+    directory: "./" # Hack to allow multiple definitions of Gradle
+    patterns:
+      - "gradle-wrapper"
+      - "com.bakdata.release"
+      - "com.bakdata.sonar"
+      - "com.bakdata.jib"
+      - "com.bakdata.avro"
+      - "com.bakdata.mockito"
+      # freefair plugins follow Gradle's versioning
+      - "io.freefair*"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
+      exclude:
+        - "com.bakdata*"
+    multi-ecosystem-group: "build"
   - package-ecosystem: "gradle"
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
       interval: "monthly"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
+      exclude:
+        - "com.bakdata*"
+    ignore: # Should match the patterns that are selected for "build" multi-ecosystem Gradle updates
+      - dependency-name: "gradle-wrapper"
+      - dependency-name: "com.bakdata.release"
+      - dependency-name: "com.bakdata.sonar"
+      - dependency-name: "com.bakdata.jib"
+      - dependency-name: "com.bakdata.avro"
+      - dependency-name: "com.bakdata.mockito"
+      - dependency-name: "io.freefair*"
     groups:
       kafka-dependencies:
         patterns:
@@ -34,10 +68,25 @@ updates:
         patterns:
           - "io.freefair*"
 
+  - package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
+    directory: "./" # Hack to allow multiple definitions of GitHub Actions
+    patterns:
+      - "bakdata/ci-templates*"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
+      exclude:
+        - "bakdata/ci-templates*"
+    multi-ecosystem-group: "build"
   - package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
       interval: "monthly"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
+      exclude:
+        - "bakdata/ci-templates*"
+    ignore: # Should match the patterns that are selected for "build" multi-ecosystem GitHub Actions updates
+      - dependency-name: "bakdata/ci-templates*"
     groups:
       ci-templates:
         patterns:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yaml
index 5057ca77f..582245b23 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yaml
@@ -6,13 +6,12 @@ on:
     branches:
       - master
   pull_request:
+  merge_group:
 
 jobs:
   build-and-publish:
     name: Java Gradle
     uses: bakdata/ci-templates/.github/workflows/java-gradle-library.yaml@1.81.1
-    with:
-      java-version: 17
     secrets:
       sonar-token: ${{ secrets.SONARCLOUD_TOKEN }}
       sonar-organization: ${{ secrets.SONARCLOUD_ORGANIZATION }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/helm-publish.yaml b/.github/workflows/helm-publish.yaml
index dda42bdba..ac44a69a8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/helm-publish.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/helm-publish.yaml
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up Gradle with version ${{ inputs.gradle-version }}
         uses: bakdata/ci-templates/actions/java-gradle-setup@1.81.1
         with:
-          java-distribution: "microsoft"
-          java-version: "17"
-          gradle-version: "wrapper"
-          gradle-cache: "true"
           gradle-cache-read-only: "true"
 
       - name: Get version
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 6b7732cae..08f24b103 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ jobs:
     name: Java Gradle
     uses: bakdata/ci-templates/.github/workflows/java-gradle-release.yaml@1.81.1
     with:
-      java-version: 17
       release-type: "${{ inputs.release-type }}"
     secrets:
       github-email: "${{ secrets.GH_EMAIL }}"