diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-merge-release.yml b/.github/workflows/auto-merge-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ef174d99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-merge-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+name: auto-merge-release
+
+on:
+  schedule:
+    # 10:00 UTC = 4am CST (winter) / 5am CDT (summer)
+    - cron: "0 10 * * 1"
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions: {}
+
+concurrency:
+  group: auto-merge-release
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  merge:
+    if: github.repository == 'jdx/usage'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Merge release into main
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          PR_NUMBER=$(gh pr list -R jdx/usage --base main --head release --state open --limit 100 --json number,headRefName,headRepositoryOwner \
+            --jq '[.[] | select(.headRefName == "release") | select(.headRepositoryOwner.login == "jdx")][0].number // empty')
+          if [ -z "$PR_NUMBER" ]; then
+            echo "No open PR from release to main"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          BODY=$(gh pr view "$PR_NUMBER" -R jdx/usage --json body --jq '.body // ""')
+          TRIMMED_BODY=$(echo "$BODY" | tr -d '[:space:]')
+          if [ -z "$TRIMMED_BODY" ]; then
+            echo "Skipping merge: PR #$PR_NUMBER has an empty body; will retry on the next scheduled run"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          echo "PR #$PR_NUMBER is ready for the Monday morning release window"
+          gh pr merge "$PR_NUMBER" -R jdx/usage --squash --auto
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.MY_RELEASE_PLEASE_TOKEN }}