diff --git a/.ci/scripts/check_release.py b/.ci/scripts/check_release.py
index c2d370fa55..095dd739b9 100755
--- a/.ci/scripts/check_release.py
+++ b/.ci/scripts/check_release.py
@@ -1,40 +1,21 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
-# WARNING: DO NOT EDIT!
-#
-# This file was generated by plugin_template, and is managed by it. Please use
-# './plugin-template --github pulpcore' to update this file.
-#
-# For more info visit https://github.com/pulp/plugin_template
-
 import argparse
 import re
 import os
 import tomllib
 import yaml
+from pathlib import Path
 from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
 from packaging.version import Version
 from git import Repo
 
-UPSTREAM_REMOTE = "https://github.com/pulp/pulpcore.git"
-DEFAULT_BRANCH = "main"
 RELEASE_BRANCH_REGEX = r"^([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)$"
 Y_CHANGELOG_EXTS = [".feature", ".removal", ".deprecation"]
 Z_CHANGELOG_EXTS = [".bugfix", ".doc", ".misc"]
 
 
-def current_version(repo):
-    try:
-        pyproject_toml = tomllib.loads(repo.git.show(f"{DEFAULT_BRANCH}:pyproject.toml"))
-        current_version = pyproject_toml["project"]["version"]
-    except Exception:
-        current_version = repo.git.grep(
-            "current_version", DEFAULT_BRANCH, "--", ".bumpversion.cfg"
-        ).split("=")[-1]
-    return Version(current_version)
-
-
-def main():
+def options():
     """Check which branches need a release."""
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
     parser.add_argument(
@@ -44,17 +25,57 @@ def main():
         "'supported'. Defaults to 'supported', see `supported_release_branches` in "
         "`plugin_template.yml`.",
     )
-    opts = parser.parse_args()
+    return parser.parse_args()
+
+
+def template_config():
+    # Assume this script lies in .ci/scripts
+    path = Path(__file__).absolute().parent.parent.parent / "template_config.yml"
+    return yaml.safe_load(path.read_text())
+
+
+def current_version(repo, commitish):
+    try:
+        pyproject_toml = tomllib.loads(repo.git.show(f"{commitish}:pyproject.toml"))
+        current_version = pyproject_toml["project"]["version"]
+    except Exception:
+        current_version = repo.git.grep(
+            "current_version", commitish, "--", ".bumpversion.cfg"
+        ).split("=")[-1]
+    return Version(current_version)
+
 
+def check_pyproject_dependencies(repo, from_commit, to_commit):
+    try:
+        old_pyproject = tomllib.load(repo.show("{from_commit}:pyproject.toml"))
+        old_dependencies = set(old_pyproject["project"]["dependencies"])
+        new_pyproject = tomllib.load(repo.show("{to_commit}:pyproject.toml"))
+        new_dependencies = set(new_pyproject["project"]["dependencies"])
+        if old_dependencies != new_dependencies:
+            return ["dependencies"]
+        else:
+            return []
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"WARNING: Comparing the dependencies in pyproject.toml failed. ({e})")
+        # Gathering more details failed.
+        return ["pyproject.toml changed somehow (PLEASE check if dependencies are affected)."]
+
+
+def main(options, template_config):
     with TemporaryDirectory() as d:
         # Clone from upstream to ensure we have updated branches & main
+        GITHUB_ORG = template_config["github_org"]
+        PLUGIN_NAME = template_config["plugin_name"]
+        UPSTREAM_REMOTE = f"https://github.com/{GITHUB_ORG}/{PLUGIN_NAME}.git"
+        DEFAULT_BRANCH = template_config["plugin_default_branch"]
+
         repo = Repo.clone_from(UPSTREAM_REMOTE, d, filter="blob:none")
         heads = [h.split("/")[-1] for h in repo.git.ls_remote("--heads").split("\n")]
         available_branches = [h for h in heads if re.search(RELEASE_BRANCH_REGEX, h)]
         available_branches.sort(key=lambda ver: Version(ver))
         available_branches.append(DEFAULT_BRANCH)
 
-        branches = opts.branches
+        branches = options.branches
         if branches == "supported":
             with open(f"{d}/template_config.yml", mode="r") as f:
                 tc = yaml.safe_load(f)
@@ -102,9 +123,7 @@ def main():
                     f"{last_tag}", f"origin/{branch}", "--name-only", "--", "pyproject.toml"
                 )
                 if pyproject_diff:
-                    reasons.append(
-                        "pyproject.toml changed (PLEASE check if dependencies are affected."
-                    )
+                    reasons.extend(check_pyproject_dependencies(repo, last_tag, f"origin/{branch}"))
 
                 if reasons:
                     curr_version = Version(last_tag)
@@ -127,7 +146,7 @@ def main():
                     if ext in Y_CHANGELOG_EXTS:
                         # We don't put Y release bumps in the commit message, check file instead.
                         # The 'current_version' is always the dev of the next version to release.
-                        next_version = current_version(repo).base_version
+                        next_version = current_version(repo, DEFAULT_BRANCH).base_version
                         print(f"A new Y-release is needed! New Version: {next_version}")
                         releases.append(next_version)
                         break
@@ -137,4 +156,4 @@ def main():
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    main()
+    main(options(), template_config())
diff --git a/.ci/scripts/check_requirements.py b/.ci/scripts/check_requirements.py
index 87b7fd1359..19aa0ff726 100755
--- a/.ci/scripts/check_requirements.py
+++ b/.ci/scripts/check_requirements.py
@@ -62,10 +62,7 @@ def main():
                 else:
                     if check_prereleases and req.specifier.prereleases:
                         # Do not even think about begging for more exceptions!
-                        if (
-                            not req.name.startswith("opentelemetry")
-                            and req.name != "pulpcore-client"
-                        ):
+                        if req.name != "pulpcore-client":
                             errors.append(f"{filename}:{nr}: Prerelease versions found in {line}.")
                     ops = [spec.operator for spec in req.specifier]
                     if "~=" in ops:
diff --git a/.github/template_gitref b/.github/template_gitref
index 3bab1b2a4c..8156a7ac11 100644
--- a/.github/template_gitref
+++ b/.github/template_gitref
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2021.08.26-396-gde50fc9
+2021.08.26-399-g78ad960