diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 2df162d89..014ece678 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,14 @@ updates:
     labels:
       - "dependencies"
       - "javascript"
+    groups:
+      npm-development-nonmajor:
+        dependency-type: "development"
+        update-types:
+          - "minor"
+          - "patch"
+        patterns:
+          - "*"
 
   - package-ecosystem: "pip"
     directory: "/services/analysis-engine"
@@ -38,4 +46,12 @@ updates:
     open-pull-requests-limit: 10
     labels:
       - "dependencies"
-      - "github-actions"
+    groups:
+      github-actions:
+        applies-to: "version-updates"
+        patterns:
+          - "*"
+      github-actions-security:
+        applies-to: "security-updates"
+        patterns:
+          - "*"
diff --git a/services/analysis-engine/tests/test_dependabot_queue_policy.py b/services/analysis-engine/tests/test_dependabot_queue_policy.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f8e86a789
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/analysis-engine/tests/test_dependabot_queue_policy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+"""Executable queue-shaping contracts for Dependabot update proposals."""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[3]
+DEPENDABOT_CONFIG = REPO_ROOT / ".github" / "dependabot.yml"
+
+
+def _ecosystem_block(name: str) -> str:
+    """Return one Dependabot ecosystem block without parsing unrelated YAML."""
+    content = DEPENDABOT_CONFIG.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    marker = f'  - package-ecosystem: "{name}"'
+    if marker not in content:
+        raise AssertionError(f"Dependabot ecosystem is missing: {name}")
+    start = content.index(marker)
+    next_start = content.find("\n  - package-ecosystem:", start + len(marker))
+    return content[start:] if next_start == -1 else content[start:next_start]
+
+
+def _group_block(ecosystem_block: str, name: str) -> str:
+    """Return one group body, stopping only at the next six-space sibling key."""
+    marker = f"      {name}:"
+    if marker not in ecosystem_block:
+        raise AssertionError(f"Dependabot group is missing: {name}")
+    group = ecosystem_block.split(marker, 1)[1]
+    lines = group.splitlines()
+    body: list[str] = []
+    for line in lines:
+        if line.startswith("      ") and not line.startswith("        "):
+            break
+        body.append(line)
+    return "\n".join(body)
+
+
+def test_npm_development_nonmajor_updates_are_grouped() -> None:
+    """Keep routine npm tooling updates from recreating one-PR-per-package fanout."""
+    block = _ecosystem_block("npm")
+    group = _group_block(block, "npm-development-nonmajor")
+
+    assert '        dependency-type: "development"' in group
+    assert "        update-types:" in group
+    assert '          - "minor"' in group
+    assert '          - "patch"' in group
+    assert '          - "major"' not in group
+    assert "        patterns:" in group
+    assert '          - "*"' in group
+
+
+def test_github_actions_version_updates_remain_grouped() -> None:
+    """Keep action version updates consolidated inside their ecosystem boundary."""
+    block = _ecosystem_block("github-actions")
+    group = _group_block(block, "github-actions")
+
+    assert '        applies-to: "version-updates"' in group
+    assert "        patterns:" in group
+    assert '          - "*"' in group
+
+
+def test_github_actions_security_updates_are_grouped_separately() -> None:
+    """Consolidate action security updates without mixing them with version updates."""
+    block = _ecosystem_block("github-actions")
+    group = _group_block(block, "github-actions-security")
+
+    assert '        applies-to: "security-updates"' in group
+    assert "        patterns:" in group
+    assert '          - "*"' in group