diff --git a/.renovate/autoMerge.json5 b/.renovate/autoMerge.json5
deleted file mode 100644
index 9b1349c5..00000000
--- a/.renovate/autoMerge.json5
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "$schema": "https://docs.renovatebot.com/renovate-schema.json",
-  "packageRules": [
-    {
-      "description": "Auto merge Github Actions",
-      "matchManagers": ["github-actions"],
-      "automerge": true,
-      "automergeType": "branch",
-      "ignoreTests": true,
-      "matchUpdateTypes": ["minor", "patch", "digest"]
-    },
-    {
-      "description": "Auto merge apps in path ./kube/deploy/apps (these apps don't affect the entire Kubernetes cluster)",
-      // "matchDatasources": ["docker"],
-      "automerge": true,
-      "automergeType": "pr",
-      "matchFileNames": ["kube/deploy/apps/**"],
-      "matchUpdateTypes": ["minor", "patch", "digest"],
-      "matchCurrentVersion": "!/^0\\./" // avoid breaking changes in 0.x SemVer releases
-    },
-    {
-      "description": "Auto merge patch app-template versions",
-      "matchPackagePatterns": ["app-template"],
-      "matchUpdateTypes": ["patch"]
-    }
-  ]
-}
diff --git a/.renovate/groups.json5 b/.renovate/groups.json5
index e8e79e65..5cbc6fff 100644
--- a/.renovate/groups.json5
+++ b/.renovate/groups.json5
@@ -28,18 +28,45 @@
       "automerge": true,
       "automergeType": "pr"
     },
-    // manually approve app-template major releases
     {
-      "matchPackagePatterns": ["app-template"],
-      "matchUpdateTypes": ["major"],
-      "dependencyDashboardApproval": true
+      "description": "Auto merge Github Actions",
+      "matchManagers": ["github-actions"],
+      "automerge": true,
+      "automergeType": "branch",
+      "ignoreTests": true,
+      "matchUpdateTypes": ["minor", "patch", "digest"]
     },
     // configure more granular control for apps in ./kube/deploy/core
     {
       "matchFileNames": ["kube/deploy/core/**"],
       "automerge": false, // enforce no automerge
       "separateMultipleMajor": true,
-      "separateMinorPatch": true
+      "separateMinorPatch": true,
+      "labels": ["kube-deploy-core"]
+    },
+    {
+      "description": "Auto merge apps in path ./kube/deploy/apps (these apps don't affect the entire Kubernetes cluster)",
+      // "matchDatasources": ["docker"],
+      "automerge": true,
+      "automergeType": "pr",
+      "matchFileNames": ["kube/deploy/apps/**"],
+      "matchUpdateTypes": ["minor", "patch", "digest"],
+      "matchCurrentVersion": "!/^0\\./", // avoid breaking changes in 0.x SemVer releases
+      "labels": ["kube-deploy-apps"]
+    },
+    {
+      "description": "Auto merge patch app-template versions",
+      "matchPackagePatterns": ["app-template"],
+      "matchUpdateTypes": ["patch"],
+      "automerge": true,
+      "automergeType": "pr",
+      "labels": ["app-template"]
+    },
+    // manually approve app-template major releases
+    {
+      "matchPackagePatterns": ["app-template"],
+      "matchUpdateTypes": ["major"],
+      "dependencyDashboardApproval": true
     },
     // Miniflux enforce distroless images
     {