diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/auto-release.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d26427e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-release.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+on:
+  pull_request:
+name: auto-release
+jobs:
+  approve:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/github-script@v3.0.0
+      with:
+        github-token: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}
+        debug: true
+        script: |
+          // only approve PRs from release-please[bot]
+          if (context.payload.pull_request.user.login !== "release-please[bot]") {
+            return;
+          }
+
+          // only approve PRs like "chore: release <release version>"
+          if ( !context.payload.pull_request.title.startsWith("chore: release") ) {
+            return;
+          }
+
+          // trigger auto-release when
+          // 1) it is a SNAPSHOT release (auto-generated post regular release)
+          // 2) there are dependency updates only
+          // 3) there are no open dependency update PRs in this repo (to avoid multiple releases)
+          if (
+            context.payload.pull_request.body.includes("Fix") ||
+            context.payload.pull_request.body.includes("Build") ||
+            context.payload.pull_request.body.includes("Documentation") ||
+            context.payload.pull_request.body.includes("BREAKING CHANGES") ||
+            context.payload.pull_request.body.includes("Features")
+          ) {
+            console.log( "Not auto-releasing since it is not a dependency-update-only release." );
+            return;
+          }
+
+          const promise = github.pulls.list.endpoint({
+            owner: context.repo.owner,
+            repo: context.repo.repo,
+            state: 'open'
+          });
+          const open_pulls = await github.paginate(promise)
+
+          if ( open_pulls.length > 1 && !context.payload.pull_request.title.includes("SNAPSHOT") ) {
+            for ( const pull of open_pulls ) {
+              if ( pull.title.startsWith("deps: update dependency") ) {
+                console.log( "Not auto-releasing yet since there are dependency update PRs open in this repo." );
+                return;
+              }
+            }
+          }
+
+          // approve release PR
+          await github.pulls.createReview({
+            owner: context.repo.owner,
+            repo: context.repo.repo,
+            body: 'Rubber stamped release!',
+            pull_number: context.payload.pull_request.number,
+            event: 'APPROVE'
+          });
+
+          // attach kokoro:force-run and automerge labels
+          await github.issues.addLabels({
+            owner: context.repo.owner,
+            repo: context.repo.repo,
+            issue_number: context.payload.pull_request.number,
+            labels: ['kokoro:force-run', 'automerge']
+          });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/synth.metadata b/synth.metadata
index de2cff43..d89918a9 100644
--- a/synth.metadata
+++ b/synth.metadata
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
       "git": {
         "name": ".",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies.git",
-        "sha": "7fff6f2c94a19ba998d8cd47e8be5a6333808df8"
+        "sha": "cde0463dd15c2a510085a3d5e3ac7b418c2fc3d4"
       }
     },
     {
       "git": {
         "name": "synthtool",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/synthtool.git",
-        "sha": "019c7168faa0e56619f792693a8acdb30d6de19b"
+        "sha": "538a68019eb4a36a0cdfa4021f324dd01b784395"
       }
     }
   ],
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
     ".github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md",
     ".github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/support_request.md",
     ".github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md",
-    ".github/release-please.yml",
     ".github/trusted-contribution.yml",
+    ".github/workflows/auto-release.yaml",
     ".github/workflows/ci.yaml",
     ".kokoro/build.bat",
     ".kokoro/build.sh",