diff --git a/.woodpecker/pr-build.yaml b/.woodpecker/pr-build.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4354f8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.woodpecker/pr-build.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# Build validation for pull requests (and pushes to main).
+#
+# Builds the full multi-arch image but does NOT push it anywhere — it only
+# proves the Dockerfile still builds for every supported architecture. This is
+# the gate Renovate automerge waits on: a dependency bump that breaks the build
+# fails this check and will NOT be automerged (and therefore never reaches
+# :stable or the routers).
+#
+# Reports pass/fail status back to Gitea, so it shows up as a required check on
+# the PR.
+
+when:
+  - event: pull_request
+  - event: push
+    branch: main
+
+steps:
+  - name: Build all arches (no push)
+    image: woodpeckerci/plugin-docker-buildx:5.2.2
+    privileged: true
+    settings:
+      repo: mikrotik-tailscale
+      platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64,linux/arm/v7
+      dry-run: true
+      build_args:
+        - OCI_VERSION=ci-${CI_COMMIT_SHA}
diff --git a/docs/DESIGN.md b/docs/DESIGN.md
index daf9a13..b9ce258 100644
--- a/docs/DESIGN.md
+++ b/docs/DESIGN.md
@@ -324,14 +324,35 @@ run **self-hosted** from a Woodpecker cron pipeline (Woodpecker has no native
 Renovate support):
 
 - `renovate.json` — repository rules. All dependencies follow the latest
-  upstream releases (including major versions); each bump arrives as its own PR
-  that the multi-arch build validates before you merge. Base image tags also
-  get their `@sha256` digests refreshed via `pinDigests`. The one special rule:
+  upstream releases; each bump arrives as its own PR. Base image tags also get
+  their `@sha256` digests refreshed via `pinDigests`. Notable rules:
   - `tailscale` only follows **stable** releases — Tailscale uses even minor
     versions for stable (`v1.98.x`) and odd for unstable (`v1.99.x`), so the
     rule filters to even minors.
 - `.woodpecker/renovate.yaml` — the scheduled job that runs `renovate/renovate`
   against this repo.
+- `.woodpecker/pr-build.yaml` — builds all three arches (no push) on every PR
+  and reports status to Gitea. This is the gate for automerge.
+
+### Automerge policy
+
+These updates **automerge** once the PR build passes — they reach `:stable`
+(and the routers) without manual review:
+
+| Update | Automerge? | Why |
+|---|---|---|
+| Tailscale stable (patch **and** minor) | ✅ | the point of the project; the PR build catches breakage |
+| Go / Alpine / busybox **patch** | ✅ | bugfix-only, build-internal |
+| Base-image **digest** refresh (same tag) | ✅ | content refresh, no version change |
+| Go / Alpine / busybox **minor/major** | ❌ manual | larger toolchain/base changes warrant review |
+| Renovate runner, syntax frontend | ❌ manual | tooling — review deliberately |
+
+**Important:** automerge depends on the PR build being a **required status
+check** in Gitea branch protection. The PR build only proves the image *builds*
+for all arches — it does not run the daemon, so a runtime regression in a new
+Tailscale release could still be automerged. That is an accepted trade-off for
+the convenience of unattended Tailscale updates; if a release misbehaves, roll
+back by re-tagging the previous `v…-mt.N` (the immutable tags are kept).
 
 Validate the configs locally:
 
diff --git a/renovate.json b/renovate.json
index a98185e..c3d6ab3 100644
--- a/renovate.json
+++ b/renovate.json
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@
   ],
   "labels": ["dependencies"],
   "rebaseWhen": "behind-base-branch",
-  "dockerfile": {
-    "pinDigests": true
-  },
   "packageRules": [
+    {
+      "matchManagers": ["dockerfile"],
+      "description": "Keep base-image tags pinned to a digest.",
+      "pinDigests": true
+    },
     {
       "matchDatasources": ["github-releases"],
       "matchPackageNames": ["tailscale/tailscale"],
@@ -18,6 +20,28 @@
       "extractVersion": "^v(?<version>\\d+\\.\\d+\\.\\d+)$",
       "allowedVersions": "/^\\d+\\.\\d*[02468]\\.\\d+$/",
       "ignoreUnstable": true
+    },
+    {
+      "matchDatasources": ["github-releases"],
+      "matchPackageNames": ["tailscale/tailscale"],
+      "description": "Automerge all stable Tailscale releases (patch AND minor) once the PR build passes.",
+      "matchUpdateTypes": ["minor", "patch"],
+      "automerge": true
+    },
+    {
+      "matchManagers": ["dockerfile"],
+      "matchPackageNames": ["golang", "alpine", "busybox"],
+      "description": "Automerge PATCH-only bumps of build components (Go/Alpine/busybox) once the PR build passes; review minor/major manually.",
+      "matchUpdateTypes": ["patch"],
+      "automerge": true
+    },
+    {
+      "matchManagers": ["dockerfile"],
+      "matchUpdateTypes": ["digest", "pinDigest"],
+      "description": "Automerge base-image digest refreshes (same tag, new sha256) once the PR build passes.",
+      "automerge": true
     }
-  ]
+  ],
+  "automergeType": "pr",
+  "platformAutomerge": true
 }