diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 237e6bf29..8bd3e97b9 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ updates:
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
       interval: "weekly"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
     groups:
       github-actions:
         patterns:
@@ -13,6 +15,8 @@ updates:
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
       interval: "weekly"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
     groups:
       docker-base-images:
         patterns:
@@ -22,6 +26,8 @@ updates:
     directory: "/frontend"
     schedule:
       interval: "weekly"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
     groups:
       frontend-docker-base-images:
         patterns:
@@ -31,6 +37,8 @@ updates:
     directory: "/backend"
     schedule:
       interval: "weekly"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
     groups:
       backend-python:
         patterns:
@@ -40,6 +48,8 @@ updates:
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
       interval: "weekly"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
     groups:
       ci-python:
         patterns:
@@ -49,6 +59,8 @@ updates:
     directory: "/frontend"
     schedule:
       interval: "weekly"
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
     groups:
       frontend-npm:
         patterns:
@@ -58,13 +70,12 @@ updates:
     directory: /connector
     schedule:
       interval: daily
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
 
   - package-ecosystem: pip
     directory: /connector
     schedule:
       interval: daily
-
-  - package-ecosystem: npm
-    directory: /
-    schedule:
-      interval: daily
+    cooldown:
+      default-days: 7
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_release_governance.py b/backend/tests/test_release_governance.py
index 0eb430cc2..0d5637a9e 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_release_governance.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_release_governance.py
@@ -306,6 +306,46 @@ def construct_mapping(
     assert duplicates == [], "\n".join(duplicates)
 
 
+def test_dependabot_npm_directories_contain_package_manifests() -> None:
+    """Keep npm update jobs bound to directories that Dependabot can inspect."""
+    dependabot_config = yaml.safe_load(read_repo_text(".github/dependabot.yml"))
+
+    npm_directories = [
+        update["directory"]
+        for update in dependabot_config["updates"]
+        if update["package-ecosystem"] == "npm"
+    ]
+
+    assert npm_directories, "Dependabot must track at least one npm workspace"
+    missing_manifests = [
+        directory
+        for directory in npm_directories
+        if not (
+            REPO_ROOT / directory.removeprefix("/") / "package.json"
+        ).is_file()
+    ]
+    assert missing_manifests == [], (
+        "Dependabot npm directories must contain package.json: "
+        + ", ".join(missing_manifests)
+    )
+
+
+def test_dependabot_updates_enforce_supply_chain_cooldown() -> None:
+    """Hold newly published dependency versions for a review observation window."""
+    updates = yaml.safe_load(read_repo_text(".github/dependabot.yml"))["updates"]
+
+    assert len(updates) == 8
+    missing_or_short = [
+        f"{update['package-ecosystem']}:{update['directory']}"
+        for update in updates
+        if (update.get("cooldown") or {}).get("default-days", 0) < 7
+    ]
+    assert missing_or_short == [], (
+        "Dependabot updates require at least a seven-day cooldown: "
+        + ", ".join(missing_or_short)
+    )
+
+
 def test_stepsecurity_remediation_adds_pinned_audit_hardening() -> None:
     harden_runner_ref = (
         "step-security/harden-runner@bf7454d06d71f1098171f2acdf0cd4708d7b5920 # v2.20.0"