diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yml b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 27092a43..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,58 +0,0 @@
-name: Lint
-
-on:
-  pull_request:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-
-env:
-  UV_VERSION: "0.7.13"
-
-jobs:
-  check:
-    name: Style-check ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    strategy:
-      matrix:
-        python-version:
-          - "3.10"
-          - "3.11"
-          - "3.12"
-          - "3.13"
-          - "3.14"
-
-    steps:
-    - name: Check out repository
-      uses: actions/checkout@v6
-
-    - name: Install Python
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v6
-      with:
-        python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-
-    - name: Install uv
-      uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v6
-      with:
-        version: ${{ env.UV_VERSION }}
-        enable-cache: true
-        python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}   # sets UV_PYTHON
-        cache-dependency-glob: |
-          pyproject.toml
-          uv.lock
-
-    - name: Install dependencies
-      run: |
-        uv sync --all-extras --frozen
-
-    - name: check-sort-import
-      run: |
-        make check-sort-imports
-
-    - name: check-black-format
-      run: |
-        make check-format
-
-    - name: check-mypy
-      run: |
-        make check-types
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-fork-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/test-fork-pr.yml
index 779e0118..2283a67c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-fork-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-fork-pr.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Test Fork PR
+name: Test External PR
 
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ jobs:
     name: Validate PR
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
+      pr_number: ${{ steps.pr-info.outputs.pr_number }}
       head_sha: ${{ steps.pr-info.outputs.head_sha }}
       head_repo: ${{ steps.pr-info.outputs.head_repo }}
     steps:
@@ -41,11 +42,17 @@ jobs:
               return;
             }
 
-            if (pr.data.head.repo.full_name === `${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}`) {
-              core.setFailed(`PR #${{ inputs.pr_number }} is not from a fork. Use the regular workflow.`);
+            const isForkPr = pr.data.head.repo.full_name !== `${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}`;
+            const isDependabotPr = pr.data.user.login === 'dependabot[bot]';
+
+            if (!isForkPr && !isDependabotPr) {
+              core.setFailed(
+                `PR #${{ inputs.pr_number }} is neither from a fork nor authored by dependabot[bot]. Use the regular workflow.`
+              );
               return;
             }
 
+            core.setOutput('pr_number', String(pr.data.number));
             core.setOutput('head_sha', pr.data.head.sha);
             core.setOutput('head_repo', pr.data.head.repo.full_name);
 
@@ -63,21 +70,29 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/github-script@v7
         with:
           script: |
+            const runUrl = `https://github.com/${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}/actions/runs/${context.runId}`;
             const check = await github.rest.checks.create({
               owner: context.repo.owner,
               repo: context.repo.repo,
-              name: 'Fork PR - Service Tests',
+              name: 'External PR - Service Tests',
               head_sha: '${{ needs.setup.outputs.head_sha }}',
               status: 'in_progress',
-              started_at: new Date().toISOString()
+              started_at: new Date().toISOString(),
+              details_url: runUrl,
+              output: {
+                title: 'External PR Service Tests Running',
+                summary: `Service tests are in progress for PR #${{ needs.setup.outputs.pr_number }} at commit ${{ needs.setup.outputs.head_sha }}.`,
+                text: `[View Active Run](${runUrl})\n\nPR: #${{ needs.setup.outputs.pr_number }}\nHead SHA: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.head_sha }}`
+              }
             });
             core.setOutput('check_id', check.data.id);
 
-      - name: Check out fork PR code
+      - name: Check out external PR code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           repository: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.head_repo }}
           ref: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.head_sha }}
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Run service tests
         uses: ./.github/actions/run-service-tests
@@ -121,8 +136,9 @@ jobs:
               completed_at: new Date().toISOString(),
               details_url: `https://github.com/${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}/actions/runs/${context.runId}`,
               output: {
-                title: 'Service Tests Passed',
-                summary: `All service tests passed for PR #${{ inputs.pr_number }}.`
+                title: 'External PR Service Tests Passed',
+                summary: `All service tests passed for PR #${{ needs.setup.outputs.pr_number }}.`,
+                text: `[View Active Run](https://github.com/${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}/actions/runs/${context.runId})\n\nPR: #${{ needs.setup.outputs.pr_number }}\nHead SHA: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.head_sha }}`
               }
             });
 
@@ -140,8 +156,8 @@ jobs:
               completed_at: new Date().toISOString(),
               details_url: `https://github.com/${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}/actions/runs/${context.runId}`,
               output: {
-                title: 'Service Tests Failed',
-                summary: `The service tests failed for PR #${{ inputs.pr_number }}. Click "Details" to view the full test output and logs.`,
-                text: `**Workflow Run:** [View Details](https://github.com/${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}/actions/runs/${context.runId})\n\n**PR:** #${{ inputs.pr_number }}\n**Commit:** ${{ needs.setup.outputs.head_sha }}`
+                title: 'External PR Service Tests Failed',
+                summary: `The service tests failed for PR #${{ needs.setup.outputs.pr_number }}. Click "Details" to view the full test output and logs.`,
+                text: `[View Active Run](https://github.com/${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}/actions/runs/${context.runId})\n\nPR: #${{ needs.setup.outputs.pr_number }}\nHead SHA: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.head_sha }}`
               }
             });
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 59d88f44..c88a7645 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -17,10 +17,58 @@ env:
   UV_VERSION: "0.7.13"
 
 jobs:
+  lint:
+    name: Lint ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        python-version:
+          - "3.10"
+          - "3.11"
+          - "3.12"
+          - "3.13"
+          - "3.14"
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+
+      - name: Install Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v6
+        with:
+          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+
+      - name: Install uv
+        uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v6
+        with:
+          version: ${{ env.UV_VERSION }}
+          enable-cache: true
+          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}   # sets UV_PYTHON
+          cache-dependency-glob: |
+            pyproject.toml
+            uv.lock
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          uv sync --all-extras --frozen
+
+      - name: check-sort-import
+        run: |
+          make check-sort-imports
+
+      - name: check-black-format
+        run: |
+          make check-format
+
+      - name: check-mypy
+        run: |
+          make check-types
+
   service-tests:
     name: Service Tests
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' || github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository
+    needs: lint
+    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' || (github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository && github.event.pull_request.user.login != 'dependabot[bot]')
     steps:
       - name: Check out repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
@@ -56,7 +104,7 @@ jobs:
   test:
     name: Python ${{ matrix.python-version }} - redis-py ${{ matrix.redis-py-version }} [${{ matrix.redis-image }}]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: service-tests
+    needs: lint
     env:
       HF_HOME: ${{ github.workspace }}/hf_cache
     strategy:
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 1385219c..7dd88824 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -4288,7 +4288,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "redisvl"
-version = "0.17.1"
+version = "0.18.0"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "jsonpath-ng" },