diff --git a/.github/scripts/auto-backport.py b/.github/scripts/auto-backport.py
index 41ef71efde..6628cadaaa 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/auto-backport.py
+++ b/.github/scripts/auto-backport.py
@@ -29,10 +29,11 @@ def parse_args():
     parser.add_argument('--commits', default=None, type=str, help='Range of promoted commits.')
     parser.add_argument('--pull-request', type=int, help='Pull request number to be backported')
     parser.add_argument('--head-commit', type=str, required=is_pull_request(), help='The HEAD of target branch after the pull request specified by --pull-request is merged')
+    parser.add_argument('--github-event', type=str, help='Get GitHub event type')
     return parser.parse_args()
 
 
-def create_pull_request(repo, new_branch_name, base_branch_name, pr, backport_pr_title, commits, is_draft=False):
+def create_pull_request(repo, new_branch_name, base_branch_name, pr, backport_pr_title, commits, is_draft, is_collaborator):
     pr_body = f'{pr.body}\n\n'
     for commit in commits:
         pr_body += f'- (cherry picked from commit {commit})\n\n'
@@ -46,7 +47,8 @@ def create_pull_request(repo, new_branch_name, base_branch_name, pr, backport_pr
             draft=is_draft
         )
         logging.info(f"Pull request created: {backport_pr.html_url}")
-        backport_pr.add_to_assignees(pr.user)
+        if is_collaborator:
+            backport_pr.add_to_assignees(pr.user)
         if is_draft:
             backport_pr.add_to_labels("conflicts")
             pr_comment = f"@{pr.user.login} - This PR was marked as draft because it has conflicts\n"
@@ -92,18 +94,7 @@ def get_pr_commits(repo, pr, stable_branch, start_commit=None):
     return commits
 
 
-def create_pr_comment_and_remove_label(pr, comment_body):
-    labels = pr.get_labels()
-    pattern = re.compile(r"backport/\d+\.\d+$")
-    for label in labels:
-        if pattern.match(label.name):
-            print(f"Removing label: {label.name}")
-            comment_body += f'- {label.name}\n'
-            pr.remove_from_labels(label)
-    pr.create_issue_comment(comment_body)
-
-
-def backport(repo, pr, version, commits, backport_base_branch):
+def backport(repo, pr, version, commits, backport_base_branch, is_collaborator):
     new_branch_name = f'backport/{pr.number}/to-{version}'
     backport_pr_title = f'[Backport {version}] {pr.title}'
     repo_url = f'https://scylladbbot:{github_token}@github.com/{repo.full_name}.git'
@@ -123,7 +114,7 @@ def backport(repo, pr, version, commits, backport_base_branch):
                     repo_local.git.cherry_pick('--continue')
             repo_local.git.push(fork_repo, new_branch_name, force=True)
             create_pull_request(repo, new_branch_name, backport_base_branch, pr, backport_pr_title, commits,
-                                is_draft=is_draft)
+                                is_draft, is_collaborator)
 
         except GitCommandError as e:
             logging.warning(f"GitCommandError: {e}")
@@ -140,10 +131,6 @@ def with_github_keyword_prefix(repo, pr):
                 break
     if not match:
         print(f'No valid close reference for {pr.number}')
-        comment = f':warning:  @{pr.user.login} PR body does not contain a Fixes reference to an issue '
-        comment += ' and can not be backported\n\n'
-        comment += 'The following labels were removed:\n'
-        create_pr_comment_and_remove_label(pr, comment)
         return False
     else:
         return True
@@ -168,6 +155,7 @@ def main():
     scylladbbot_repo = g.get_repo(fork_repo_name)
     closed_prs = []
     start_commit = None
+    is_collaborator = True
 
     if args.commits:
         start_commit, end_commit = args.commits.split('..')
@@ -192,21 +180,33 @@ def main():
         if not backport_labels:
             print(f'no backport label: {pr.number}')
             continue
-        if args.commits and not with_github_keyword_prefix(repo, pr):
+        if not with_github_keyword_prefix(repo, pr) and args.github_event != 'unlabeled':
+            comment = f''':warning:  @{pr.user.login} PR body or PR commits do not contain a Fixes reference to an issue and can not be backported
+            please update PR body with a valid ref to an issue. Then remove `scylladbbot/backport_error` label to re-trigger the backport process
+            '''
+            pr.create_issue_comment(comment)
+            pr.add_to_labels("scylladbbot/backport_error")
             continue
         if not repo.private and not scylladbbot_repo.has_in_collaborators(pr.user.login):
             logging.info(f"Sending an invite to {pr.user.login} to become a collaborator to {scylladbbot_repo.full_name} ")
             scylladbbot_repo.add_to_collaborators(pr.user.login)
-            comment = f':warning:  @{pr.user.login} you have been added as collaborator to scylladbbot fork '
-            comment += f'Please check your inbox and approve the invitation, once it is done, please add the backport labels again\n'
-            create_pr_comment_and_remove_label(pr, comment)
-            continue
+            comment = f''':warning:  @{pr.user.login} you have been added as collaborator to scylladbbot fork
+            Please check your inbox and approve the invitation, otherwise you will not be able to edit PR branch when needed
+            '''
+            # When a pull request is pending for backport but its author is not yet a collaborator of "scylladbbot",
+            # we attach a "scylladbbot/backport_error" label to the PR.
+            # This prevents the workflow from proceeding with the backport process
+            # until the author has been granted proper permissions
+            # the author should remove the label manually to re-trigger the backport workflow.
+            pr.add_to_labels("scylladbbot/backport_error")
+            pr.create_issue_comment(comment)
+            is_collaborator = False
         commits = get_pr_commits(repo, pr, stable_branch, start_commit)
         logging.info(f"Found PR #{pr.number} with commit {commits} and the following labels: {backport_labels}")
         for backport_label in backport_labels:
             version = backport_label.replace('backport/', '')
             backport_base_branch = backport_label.replace('backport/', backport_branch)
-            backport(repo, pr, version, commits, backport_base_branch)
+            backport(repo, pr, version, commits, backport_base_branch, is_collaborator)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/.github/workflows/add-label-when-promoted.yaml b/.github/workflows/add-label-when-promoted.yaml
index 7afc1de3aa..7b7d3c1107 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/add-label-when-promoted.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/add-label-when-promoted.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ on:
       - branch-*.*
       - enterprise
   pull_request_target:
-    types: [labeled]
+    types: [labeled, unlabeled]
     branches: [master, next, enterprise]
 
 jobs:
@@ -53,19 +53,28 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.AUTO_BACKPORT_TOKEN }}
         run: python .github/scripts/auto-backport.py --repo ${{ github.repository }} --base-branch ${{ github.ref }} --commits ${{ github.event.before }}..${{ github.sha }}
-      - name: Check if label starts with 'backport/' and contains digits
+      - name: Check if a valid backport label exists and no backport_error
         id: check_label
         run: |
-          label_name="${{ github.event.label.name }}"
-          if [[ "$label_name" =~ ^backport/[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
-            echo "Label matches backport/X.X pattern."
-            echo "backport_label=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          labels_json='${{ toJson(github.event.pull_request.labels) }}'
+          echo "Checking labels: $(echo "$labels_json" | jq -r '.[].name')"
+
+          # Check if a valid backport label exists
+          if echo "$labels_json" | jq -e 'any(.[] | .name; test("backport/[0-9]+\\.[0-9]+$"))' > /dev/null; then
+            # Ensure scylladbbot/backport_error is NOT present
+            if ! echo "$labels_json" | jq -e '.[] | select(.name == "scylladbbot/backport_error")' > /dev/null; then
+              echo "A matching backport label was found and no backport_error label exists."
+              echo "ready_for_backport=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+              exit 0
+            else
+              echo "The label 'scylladbbot/backport_error' is present, invalidating backport."
+            fi
           else
-            echo "Label does not match the required pattern."
-            echo "backport_label=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "No matching backport label found."
           fi
-      - name: Run auto-backport.py when label was added
-        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' && steps.check_label.outputs.backport_label == 'true' && github.event.pull_request.state == 'closed' }}
+          echo "ready_for_backport=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+      - name: Run auto-backport.py when PR is closed
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' && steps.check_label.outputs.ready_for_backport == 'true' && github.event.pull_request.state == 'closed' }}
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.AUTO_BACKPORT_TOKEN }}
-        run: python .github/scripts/auto-backport.py --repo ${{ github.repository }} --base-branch ${{ github.ref }} --pull-request ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --head-commit ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}
+        run: python .github/scripts/auto-backport.py --repo ${{ github.repository }} --base-branch ${{ github.ref }} --pull-request ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --head-commit ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }} --github-event ${{ github.event.action }}