diff --git a/.github/scripts/release-label-backfill.mjs b/.github/scripts/release-label-backfill.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4f13e541e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/release-label-backfill.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
+
+const DEPENDENCIES_LABEL = {
+  name: "dependencies",
+  color: "0366d6",
+  description: "Dependency updates and version bumps",
+};
+
+async function githubRequest(token, path, { method = "GET", body } = {}) {
+  const response = await fetch(`https://api.github.com${path}`, {
+    method,
+    headers: {
+      Accept: "application/vnd.github+json",
+      Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`,
+      "User-Agent": "kagent-release-label-backfill",
+      "X-GitHub-Api-Version": "2022-11-28",
+    },
+    body: body ? JSON.stringify(body) : undefined,
+  });
+
+  if (response.status === 204) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const text = await response.text();
+  const payload = text ? JSON.parse(text) : null;
+
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    const message = payload?.message ?? response.statusText;
+    const error = new Error(`${method} ${path} failed: ${response.status} ${message}`);
+    error.status = response.status;
+    throw error;
+  }
+
+  return payload;
+}
+
+export async function ensureDependenciesLabel({
+  token = process.env.GITHUB_TOKEN,
+  repository = process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY,
+} = {}) {
+  if (!token) {
+    throw new Error("GITHUB_TOKEN is required");
+  }
+  if (!repository) {
+    throw new Error("GITHUB_REPOSITORY is required");
+  }
+
+  try {
+    await githubRequest(
+      token,
+      `/repos/${repository}/labels/${encodeURIComponent(DEPENDENCIES_LABEL.name)}`,
+    );
+    console.log(`label exists: ${DEPENDENCIES_LABEL.name}`);
+    return;
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (error.status !== 404) {
+      throw error;
+    }
+  }
+
+  await githubRequest(token, `/repos/${repository}/labels`, {
+    method: "POST",
+    body: DEPENDENCIES_LABEL,
+  });
+  console.log(`created label: ${DEPENDENCIES_LABEL.name}`);
+}
+
+if (process.argv[1] && import.meta.url === pathToFileURL(process.argv[1]).href) {
+  await ensureDependenciesLabel();
+}
diff --git a/.github/scripts/release-label-backfill.test.mjs b/.github/scripts/release-label-backfill.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..deb0d64cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/release-label-backfill.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+
+import { ensureDependenciesLabel } from "./release-label-backfill.mjs";
+
+test("ensureDependenciesLabel skips creation when the label already exists", async () => {
+  const requests = [];
+  const originalFetch = global.fetch;
+
+  global.fetch = async (url, options = {}) => {
+    requests.push({ url, options });
+    return new Response(JSON.stringify({ name: "dependencies" }), {
+      status: 200,
+      headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+    });
+  };
+
+  try {
+    await ensureDependenciesLabel({
+      token: "test-token",
+      repository: "kagent-dev/kagent",
+    });
+  } finally {
+    global.fetch = originalFetch;
+  }
+
+  assert.equal(requests.length, 1);
+  assert.match(requests[0].url, /\/repos\/kagent-dev\/kagent\/labels\/dependencies$/);
+  assert.equal(requests[0].options.method ?? "GET", "GET");
+});
+
+test("ensureDependenciesLabel creates the label when it is missing", async () => {
+  const requests = [];
+  const originalFetch = global.fetch;
+
+  global.fetch = async (url, options = {}) => {
+    requests.push({ url, options });
+
+    if (requests.length === 1) {
+      return new Response(JSON.stringify({ message: "Not Found" }), {
+        status: 404,
+        headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+      });
+    }
+
+    return new Response(JSON.stringify({ name: "dependencies" }), {
+      status: 201,
+      headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+    });
+  };
+
+  try {
+    await ensureDependenciesLabel({
+      token: "test-token",
+      repository: "kagent-dev/kagent",
+    });
+  } finally {
+    global.fetch = originalFetch;
+  }
+
+  assert.equal(requests.length, 2);
+  assert.match(requests[0].url, /\/repos\/kagent-dev\/kagent\/labels\/dependencies$/);
+  assert.equal(requests[0].options.method ?? "GET", "GET");
+  assert.match(requests[1].url, /\/repos\/kagent-dev\/kagent\/labels$/);
+  assert.equal(requests[1].options.method, "POST");
+  assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(requests[1].options.body), {
+    name: "dependencies",
+    color: "0366d6",
+    description: "Dependency updates and version bumps",
+  });
+});
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-label-backfill.yml b/.github/workflows/release-label-backfill.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..10fd0afec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-label-backfill.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+name: Ensure Dependencies Label
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+    paths:
+      - ".github/workflows/release-label-backfill.yml"
+      - ".github/release.yml"
+      - ".github/dependabot.yml"
+      - ".github/scripts/release-label-backfill.mjs"
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  ensure-dependencies-label:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      issues: write
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+
+      - name: Ensure dependencies label exists
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: node .github/scripts/release-label-backfill.mjs