diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
index 6ce37dd1a0..941b9a2013 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - "*"
+  merge_group:
   workflow_dispatch:
   schedule:
     # run at 6AM UTC Daily
@@ -14,17 +15,60 @@ on:
     - cron: "0 6 * * *"
 
 jobs:
+  define-matrix:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    steps:
+      # use cli rather than event context to avoid race conditions (label added after push)
+      - name: PR
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}
+        run: |
+          labels=$(gh pr view -R ${{github.repository}} ${{github.event.pull_request.number}} --json labels -q '.labels[].name' -r '.[]')
+
+          if [[ $labels == *"UPGRADE_TESTS"* ]]; then
+            if [[ $labels == *"LIGHT_UPGRADE_TESTS"* ]]; then
+              echo "UPGRADE_TESTS_LIGHT=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            else
+              echo "UPGRADE_TESTS=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            fi
+          fi
+
+          if [[ $labels == *"ADMIN_TESTS"* ]]; then
+            echo "ADMIN_TESTS=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          fi
+      - name: mergegroup
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'merge_group' }}
+        run: |
+          labels=$(gh pr view -R ${{github.repository}} ${{github.event.pull_request.number}} --json labels -q '.labels[].name' -r '.[]')
+          if [[ $labels == *"MINIMAL_TESTS"* ]]; then
+            exit
+          fi
+          # TODO: maybe run more tests here
+          echo "LIGHT_UPGRADE_TESTS=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+      - name: schedule
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'schedule' }}
+        run: |
+          echo "UPGRADE_TESTS=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "LIGHT_UPGRADE_TESTS=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "ADMIN_TESTS=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
   e2e:
+    needs: define-matrix
     strategy:
       matrix:
         include:
           - make-target: "start-e2e-test"
             runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
             run: true
+          - make-target: "start-upgrade-test"
+            runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+            run: ${{ needs.define-matrix.outputs.UPGRADE_TESTS }}
           - make-target: "start-upgrade-test-light"
             runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
-            run: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' && !contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'MINIMAL_CI') }}
-    name: ${{ matrix.make-target }}
+            run: ${{ needs.define-matrix.outputs.UPGRADE_TESTS_LIGHT }}
+          - make-target: "start-e2e-admin-test"
+            runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+            run: ${{ needs.define-matrix.outputs.ADMIN_TESTS }}
+    name: e2e
     uses: ./.github/workflows/reusable-e2e.yml
     with:
       make-target: ${{ matrix.make-target }}
@@ -33,7 +77,7 @@ jobs:
     secrets: inherit
   # this allows you to set a required status check
   ok:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     needs: e2e
     steps:
       - run: echo "e2e tests passed"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-e2e.yml
index a7e3ef2104..e60c453446 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-e2e.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   e2e:
+    name: ${{ inputs.make-target }}
     if: ${{ inputs.run }}
     runs-on: ${{ inputs.runs-on }}
     timeout-minutes: ${{ inputs.timeout-minutes }}