diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1e85d7c..e3cfa70 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ add the applicable `area/` when a new bug issue is created.
 
 When an issue is closed the `status/triage` label is removed from the issue.
 
+### Link backport PRs to issues
+
+When a PR targeting `release/*` is opened, edited, or reopened,
+the bot adds it to the Development section of issues referenced by closing keywords in its description, such as `Closes #123`.
+References can use `#123`, `owner/repo#123`, or `https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/123`,
+but must identify issues in the PR's repository.
+Linking works for open and closed issues without requiring backport labels.
+
 ## Testing changes to the application
 
 To test changes to the application you need:
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/LinkBackportPRs.java b/src/main/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/LinkBackportPRs.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ad3e4ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/LinkBackportPRs.java
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+package org.keycloak.gh.bot;
+
+import io.quarkiverse.githubapp.event.PullRequest;
+import io.smallrye.graphql.client.Response;
+import io.smallrye.graphql.client.dynamic.api.DynamicGraphQLClient;
+import org.jboss.logging.Logger;
+import org.keycloak.gh.bot.utils.PullRequestParser;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHEventPayload;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHFileNotFoundException;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHIssue;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHIssueState;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHPullRequest;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHRepository;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
+
+public class LinkBackportPRs {
+
+    private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(LinkBackportPRs.class);
+
+    private static final String LINK_PR = """
+            mutation($issueId: ID!, $pullRequestIds: [ID!]!) {
+                addCloseIssueReferences(input: {issueId: $issueId, pullRequestIds: $pullRequestIds}) {
+                    issue { id }
+                }
+            }
+            """;
+
+    void onOpen(@PullRequest.Opened GHEventPayload.PullRequest payload, DynamicGraphQLClient client) throws IOException {
+        link(payload, client);
+    }
+
+    void onEdit(@PullRequest.Edited GHEventPayload.PullRequest payload, DynamicGraphQLClient client) throws IOException {
+        link(payload, client);
+    }
+
+    void onReopen(@PullRequest.Reopened GHEventPayload.PullRequest payload, DynamicGraphQLClient client) throws IOException {
+        link(payload, client);
+    }
+
+    private void link(GHEventPayload.PullRequest payload, DynamicGraphQLClient client) throws IOException {
+        GHRepository repository = payload.getRepository();
+        GHPullRequest pr = payload.getPullRequest();
+        try {
+            String branch = pr.getBase().getRef();
+            if (pr.getState() != GHIssueState.OPEN || !branch.startsWith("release/")) {
+                return;
+            }
+            Set<Integer> issueNumbers = PullRequestParser.closingIssues(pr.getBody(), repository.getFullName());
+            for (int issueNumber : issueNumbers) {
+                GHIssue issue;
+                try {
+                    issue = repository.getIssue(issueNumber);
+                } catch (GHFileNotFoundException e) {
+                    logger.errorv(e, "Referenced issue not found while linking backport PR {0}#{1} to issue #{2}",
+                            repository.getFullName(), pr.getNumber(), issueNumber);
+                    continue;
+                }
+                if (!issue.isPullRequest()) {
+                    link(client, issue.getNodeId(), pr.getNodeId());
+                    logger.infov("Linked backport PR {0}#{1} to issue {0}#{2}",
+                            repository.getFullName(), pr.getNumber(), issueNumber);
+                }
+            }
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            logger.errorv(e, "Failed to link backport PR {0}#{1} to referenced issues",
+                    repository.getFullName(), pr.getNumber());
+            throw e;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void link(DynamicGraphQLClient client, String issueId, String prId) throws IOException {
+        try {
+            Response response = client.executeSync(LINK_PR, Map.of("issueId", issueId, "pullRequestIds", List.of(prId)));
+            if (response.hasError() || !response.hasData()) {
+                throw new IOException("Backport GraphQL request failed: " + response.getErrors());
+            }
+        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+            Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
+            throw new IOException("Backport linking interrupted", e);
+        } catch (ExecutionException e) {
+            throw new IOException("Backport GraphQL request failed", e);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/utils/PullRequestParser.java b/src/main/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/utils/PullRequestParser.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e427224
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/utils/PullRequestParser.java
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package org.keycloak.gh.bot.utils;
+
+import java.util.LinkedHashSet;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.regex.Matcher;
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
+
+public class PullRequestParser {
+
+    private static final Pattern CLOSING_REFERENCE = Pattern.compile(
+            "(?i)\\b(?:close[sd]?|fix(?:es|ed)?|resolve[sd]?)\\s*:?\\s+"
+                    + "(?:([\\w.-]+/[\\w.-]+)?#(\\d+)|https://github\\.com/([\\w.-]+/[\\w.-]+)/issues/(\\d+))"
+                    + "(?![\\w/])");
+
+    public static Set<Integer> closingIssues(String body, String repository) {
+        Set<Integer> issues = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+        if (body == null) {
+            return issues;
+        }
+        Matcher matcher = CLOSING_REFERENCE.matcher(body);
+        while (matcher.find()) {
+            // Groups 1/2 are shorthand references; groups 3/4 are issue URLs.
+            String referenceRepository = matcher.group(1) != null ? matcher.group(1) : matcher.group(3);
+            if (referenceRepository != null && !referenceRepository.equalsIgnoreCase(repository)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            String number = matcher.group(2) != null ? matcher.group(2) : matcher.group(4);
+            try {
+                int issueNumber = Integer.parseInt(number);
+                if (issueNumber > 0) {
+                    issues.add(issueNumber);
+                }
+            } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
+                // Ignore issue numbers outside the client's integer range.
+            }
+        }
+        return issues;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/LinkBackportPRsTest.java b/src/test/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/LinkBackportPRsTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e1786d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/LinkBackportPRsTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+package org.keycloak.gh.bot;
+
+import io.smallrye.graphql.client.Response;
+import io.smallrye.graphql.client.dynamic.api.DynamicGraphQLClient;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.CsvSource;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHCommitPointer;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHEventPayload;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHFileNotFoundException;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHIssue;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHIssueState;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHPullRequest;
+import org.kohsuke.github.GHRepository;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertThrows;
+import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.anyMap;
+import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.contains;
+import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.eq;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.times;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.verifyNoInteractions;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
+
+class LinkBackportPRsTest {
+
+    private final LinkBackportPRs handler = new LinkBackportPRs();
+    private final DynamicGraphQLClient client = mock(DynamicGraphQLClient.class);
+    private final GHEventPayload.PullRequest payload = mock(GHEventPayload.PullRequest.class);
+    private final GHRepository repository = mock(GHRepository.class);
+    private final GHPullRequest pr = mock(GHPullRequest.class);
+    private final GHCommitPointer base = mock(GHCommitPointer.class);
+    private final GHIssue issue = mock(GHIssue.class);
+
+    @BeforeEach
+    void setUp() throws Exception {
+        when(payload.getRepository()).thenReturn(repository);
+        when(repository.getFullName()).thenReturn("keycloak/keycloak");
+        when(payload.getPullRequest()).thenReturn(pr);
+        when(pr.getState()).thenReturn(GHIssueState.OPEN);
+        when(pr.getBody()).thenReturn("Closes #123");
+        when(pr.getBase()).thenReturn(base);
+        when(base.getRef()).thenReturn("release/26.8");
+        when(pr.getNodeId()).thenReturn("backport");
+        when(repository.getIssue(123)).thenReturn(issue);
+        when(issue.getNodeId()).thenReturn("issue");
+        Response response = mock(Response.class);
+        when(response.hasData()).thenReturn(true);
+        when(client.executeSync(contains("mutation"), anyMap())).thenReturn(response);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void linksOnOpenEditAndReopen() throws Exception {
+        handler.onOpen(payload, client);
+        handler.onEdit(payload, client);
+        handler.onReopen(payload, client);
+        verify(client, times(3)).executeSync(contains("mutation"),
+                eq(Map.of("issueId", "issue", "pullRequestIds", List.of("backport"))));
+    }
+
+    @ParameterizedTest
+    @CsvSource({"main,OPEN", "release/26.8,CLOSED"})
+    void skipsUnrelatedOrClosedPRs(String branch, GHIssueState state) throws Exception {
+        when(base.getRef()).thenReturn(branch);
+        when(pr.getState()).thenReturn(state);
+        handler.onOpen(payload, client);
+        verifyNoInteractions(client);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void linksIssuesInAnyRepository() throws Exception {
+        when(repository.getFullName()).thenReturn("other/repo");
+        handler.onOpen(payload, client);
+        verify(repository).getIssue(123);
+        verify(client).executeSync(contains("mutation"),
+                eq(Map.of("issueId", "issue", "pullRequestIds", List.of("backport"))));
+    }
+
+    @ParameterizedTest
+    @CsvSource({"Closes other/repo#123", "Resolves https://github.com/other/repo/issues/123"})
+    void skipsCrossRepositoryReferences(String body) throws Exception {
+        when(pr.getBody()).thenReturn(body);
+        handler.onOpen(payload, client);
+        verify(repository, times(0)).getIssue(123);
+        verifyNoInteractions(client);
+    }
+
+    @ParameterizedTest
+    @CsvSource({"keycloak/keycloak,Fixes keycloak/keycloak#123",
+            "keycloak/keycloak,Resolves https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/issues/123",
+            "other/repo,Fixes other/repo#123",
+            "other/repo,Closes https://github.com/other/repo/issues/123"})
+    void linksQualifiedReferencesInCurrentRepository(String repo, String body) throws Exception {
+        when(repository.getFullName()).thenReturn(repo);
+        when(pr.getBody()).thenReturn(body);
+        handler.onOpen(payload, client);
+        verify(repository).getIssue(123);
+        verify(client).executeSync(contains("mutation"),
+                eq(Map.of("issueId", "issue", "pullRequestIds", List.of("backport"))));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void skipsMissingIssuesAndPullRequestReferences() throws Exception {
+        when(pr.getBody()).thenReturn("Closes #999\nCloses #123");
+        when(repository.getIssue(999)).thenThrow(GHFileNotFoundException.class);
+        handler.onOpen(payload, client);
+        verify(client).executeSync(contains("mutation"), anyMap());
+        when(issue.isPullRequest()).thenReturn(true);
+        handler.onEdit(payload, client);
+        verify(client, times(1)).executeSync(contains("mutation"), anyMap());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void propagatesGraphQLErrors() throws Exception {
+        Response error = mock(Response.class);
+        when(error.hasError()).thenReturn(true);
+        when(client.executeSync(contains("mutation"), anyMap())).thenReturn(error);
+        assertThrows(IOException.class, () -> handler.onOpen(payload, client));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/utils/PullRequestParserTest.java b/src/test/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/utils/PullRequestParserTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..417e9a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/org/keycloak/gh/bot/utils/PullRequestParserTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+package org.keycloak.gh.bot.utils;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.CsvSource;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.NullAndEmptySource;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.ValueSource;
+
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+
+class PullRequestParserTest {
+
+    @ParameterizedTest
+    @CsvSource({"Close #123,123", "Closes #123,123", "Closed #123,123", "Fix #123,123",
+            "FIXES: #123,123", "Fixed #123,123", "Resolve #123,123", "Resolves #123,123",
+            "Resolved #123,123", "Closes #1234,1234", "Fixes #2147483647,2147483647",
+            "Closes keycloak/keycloak#123,123", "Fixes KEYCLOAK/Keycloak#123,123",
+            "Closes: https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/issues/53957,53957",
+            "Closes https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/issues/53210.,53210"})
+    void parsesClosingReferences(String body, int number) {
+        assertEquals(Set.of(number), PullRequestParser.closingIssues(body, "keycloak/keycloak"));
+    }
+
+    @ParameterizedTest
+    @NullAndEmptySource
+    @ValueSource(strings = {"Related to #123", "Closes other/repo#123",
+            "Closes https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/pull/123",
+            "Fixes https://example.com/keycloak/keycloak/issues/123",
+            "Fixes https://github.com/other/repo/issues/123", "Closes #0", "Closes #-123",
+            "Closes #999999999999999999999", "Closes #2147483648", "Closes #123abc",
+            "Closes #123/456", "Discloses #123"})
+    void ignoresUnsupportedReferences(String body) {
+        assertEquals(Set.of(), PullRequestParser.closingIssues(body, "keycloak/keycloak"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void deduplicatesReferences() {
+        assertEquals(Set.of(123, 456), PullRequestParser.closingIssues(
+                "Closes #123\nFixes #456\nResolves keycloak/keycloak#123\n"
+                        + "Closes https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/issues/456", "keycloak/keycloak"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void parsesLocalReferencesAlongsideUnsupportedReferences() {
+        assertEquals(Set.of(123, 456), PullRequestParser.closingIssues(
+                "Closes other/repo#789\nFixes #123\nCloses #999999999999999999999\nResolves #456",
+                "keycloak/keycloak"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void usesCurrentRepositoryRatherThanHardcodedRepository() {
+        assertEquals(Set.of(123, 456), PullRequestParser.closingIssues(
+                "Closes other/repo#123\nFixes https://github.com/other/repo/issues/456\n"
+                        + "Closes keycloak/keycloak#789\nFixes https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/issues/789",
+                "other/repo"));
+    }
+}