diff --git a/.github/workflows/needs-reply.yml b/.github/workflows/needs-reply.yml
index fe89093b4..e75e7324d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/needs-reply.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/needs-reply.yml
@@ -10,11 +10,26 @@ jobs:
     # Keep this job capped at 10 minutes; never raise it unless explicitly asked.
     timeout-minutes: 10
     steps:
+      - name: Check if issues are enabled
+        id: check-issues
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        run: |
+          HAS_ISSUES=$(gh api "repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}" --jq '.has_issues' 2>/dev/null || echo "false")
+          echo "has_issues=${HAS_ISSUES}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: Skip when issues are disabled
+        if: steps.check-issues.outputs.has_issues != 'true'
+        run: echo "Issues are disabled on ${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}; skipping needs-reply workflow."
+
       - name: Setup Node.js
+        if: steps.check-issues.outputs.has_issues == 'true'
         uses: actions/setup-node@v6
         with:
           node-version: 24.x
+
       - name: Close old issues that need reply
+        if: steps.check-issues.outputs.has_issues == 'true'
         uses: imhoffd/needs-reply@v2.0.0
         with:
           repo-token: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/sync-branches.yml b/.github/workflows/sync-branches.yml
index 68b8d0cbd..f7ab9b84a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sync-branches.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sync-branches.yml
@@ -50,7 +50,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Add upstream and fetch
         run: |
           git remote add upstream https://github.com/${{ env.UPSTREAM_REPO }}.git || true
-          git fetch upstream main
+          # checkout uses filter:blob:none, so origin is the promisor remote; upstream must be too
+          # or merge lazy-fetches ionic-team blobs from origin and fails with "not our ref"
+          git config remote.upstream.promisor true
+          git config remote.upstream.partialclonefilter blob:none
+          git fetch --no-filter upstream main
 
       - name: Check for new commits
         id: check-commits
@@ -98,13 +102,20 @@ jobs:
             git push origin main
             echo "merge_success=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           else
-            echo "Merge conflict detected"
-            git merge --abort
-            echo "merge_success=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            if [ -f .git/MERGE_HEAD ]; then
+              echo "Merge conflict detected"
+              echo "merge_conflict=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+              git merge --abort || git reset --hard origin/main
+              echo "merge_success=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            else
+              echo "Merge failed before MERGE_HEAD was created (missing git objects or other error)"
+              git merge --abort || true
+              exit 1
+            fi
           fi
 
       - name: Create PR for conflicts
-        if: steps.regular-merge.outputs.merge_success == 'false'
+        if: steps.regular-merge.outputs.merge_conflict == 'true'
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
         run: |
@@ -181,7 +192,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Add upstream and fetch
         run: |
           git remote add upstream https://github.com/${{ env.UPSTREAM_REPO }}.git || true
-          git fetch upstream main
+          # checkout uses filter:blob:none, so origin is the promisor remote; upstream must be too
+          # or merge lazy-fetches ionic-team blobs from origin and fails with "not our ref"
+          git config remote.upstream.promisor true
+          git config remote.upstream.partialclonefilter blob:none
+          git fetch --no-filter upstream main
 
       - name: Check for new commits
         id: check-commits
@@ -210,9 +225,16 @@ jobs:
             echo "Merge successful!"
             echo "merge_success=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           else
-            echo "Merge conflict detected"
-            git merge --abort
-            echo "merge_success=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            if [ -f .git/MERGE_HEAD ]; then
+              echo "Merge conflict detected"
+              echo "merge_conflict=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+              git merge --abort || git reset --hard origin/plus
+              echo "merge_success=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            else
+              echo "Merge failed before MERGE_HEAD was created (missing git objects or other error)"
+              git merge --abort || true
+              exit 1
+            fi
           fi
 
       - name: Push if merge succeeded
@@ -222,7 +244,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "Successfully pushed upstream changes to plus branch"
 
       - name: Create PR for conflicts
-        if: steps.merge.outputs.merge_success == 'false'
+        if: steps.merge.outputs.merge_conflict == 'true'
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
         run: |