diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-spec-prod.yml b/.github/workflows/release-spec-prod.yml
index 6eedf21b7..b2ee0d843 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-spec-prod.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-spec-prod.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ on:
 permissions:
   contents: write
 jobs:
-  run-validations:
+  # Required validations will stop the release if they fail
+  run-required-validations:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
@@ -15,12 +16,14 @@ jobs:
         env:
           SPECTRAL_VERSION: ${{ vars.SPECTRAL_VERSION }}
         run: npx -- @stoplight/spectral-cli@"${SPECTRAL_VERSION}" lint ./tools/cli/test/data/openapi-foas*.{yml,yaml} --ruleset=.spectral.yaml # we will update this to lint the FOAS in CLOUDP-263186
-      - name: Validate the FOAS can be used to generate Postman collection
-        run: |
-          cp -rf "./tools/cli/test/data/openapi-foas-dev.json" "./tools/postman/openapi/atlas-api.json"
-          pushd tools/postman
-          make convert_to_collection
-          popd      
+      - name: Create Issue
+        if: ${{ failure() }}
+        uses: imjohnbo/issue-bot@572eed14422c4d6ca37e870f97e7da209422f5bd
+        with:
+          labels: failed-release
+          title: "(PROD) Required Spectral validation failed :scream_cat:"
+          body: See https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.API_BOT_PAT }}
       - name: Install Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@0a12ed9d6a96ab950c8f026ed9f722fe0da7ef32
         with:
@@ -36,4 +39,33 @@ jobs:
           cp -rf "./tools/cli/test/data/openapi-foas-dev.yaml" "atlas-sdk-go/openapi/atlas-sdk.yaml"
           pushd atlas-sdk-go
           make -e openapi-pipeline
-
+          popd
+      - name: Create Issue
+        if: ${{ failure() }}
+        uses: imjohnbo/issue-bot@572eed14422c4d6ca37e870f97e7da209422f5bd
+        with:
+          labels: failed-release
+          title: "(PROD) Required GO SDK validation failed :scream_cat:"
+          body: See https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.API_BOT_PAT }}
+  
+  # Optional validations won't stop the release but only open a GH issue if they fail
+  run-optional-validations:
+      runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+      steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@692973e3d937129bcbf40652eb9f2f61becf3332
+      - name: Validate the FOAS can be used to generate Postman collection
+        run: |
+          cp -rf "./tools/cli/test/data/openapi-foas-dev.json" "./tools/postman/openapi/atlas-api.json"
+          pushd tools/postman
+          make convert_to_collection
+          popd
+      - name: Create Issue
+        if: ${{ failure() }}
+        uses: imjohnbo/issue-bot@572eed14422c4d6ca37e870f97e7da209422f5bd
+        with:
+          labels: failed-release
+          title: "(PROD) Optional Postman validation failed :scream_cat:"
+          body: See https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.API_BOT_PAT }}