diff --git a/docs/manifest-releaser.md b/docs/manifest-releaser.md
index 92e24a273..0bf9c0880 100644
--- a/docs/manifest-releaser.md
+++ b/docs/manifest-releaser.md
@@ -218,6 +218,13 @@ defaults (those are documented in comments)
   // absence defaults to false and one pull request will be raised
   "separate-pull-requests": false,
 
+  // if true, always update existing pull requests when changes are added,
+  // instead of only when the release notes change.
+  // This option may increase the number of API calls used, but can be useful
+  // if pull requests must not be out-of-date with the base branch.
+  // absence defaults to false
+  "always-update": true,
+
   // sets the manifest pull request title for when releasing multiple packages
   // grouped together in the one pull request.
   // This option has no effect when `separate-pull-requests` is `true`.
diff --git a/schemas/config.json b/schemas/config.json
index 3fc917901..9d883effa 100644
--- a/schemas/config.json
+++ b/schemas/config.json
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@
           "description": "Open a separate release pull request for each component. Defaults to `false`.",
           "type": "boolean"
         },
+        "always-update": {
+          "description": "Always update the pull request with the latest changes. Defaults to `false`.",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        },
         "tag-separator": {
           "description": "Customize the separator between the component and version in the GitHub tag.",
           "type": "string"
@@ -470,6 +474,7 @@
     "pull-request-header": true,
     "pull-request-footer": true,
     "separate-pull-requests": true,
+    "always-update": true,
     "tag-separator": true,
     "extra-files": true,
     "version-file": true,
diff --git a/src/manifest.ts b/src/manifest.ts
index 13e590704..390154573 100644
--- a/src/manifest.ts
+++ b/src/manifest.ts
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ export interface ManifestOptions {
   draft?: boolean;
   prerelease?: boolean;
   draftPullRequest?: boolean;
+  alwaysUpdate?: boolean;
   groupPullRequestTitlePattern?: string;
   releaseSearchDepth?: number;
   commitSearchDepth?: number;
@@ -260,6 +261,7 @@ export interface ManifestConfig extends ReleaserConfigJson {
   'release-search-depth'?: number;
   'commit-search-depth'?: number;
   'sequential-calls'?: boolean;
+  'always-update'?: boolean;
 }
 // path => version
 export type ReleasedVersions = Record<string, Version>;
@@ -295,6 +297,7 @@ export class Manifest {
   readonly releasedVersions: ReleasedVersions;
   private targetBranch: string;
   private separatePullRequests: boolean;
+  private alwaysUpdate: boolean;
   readonly fork: boolean;
   private signoffUser?: string;
   private labels: string[];
@@ -334,6 +337,8 @@ export class Manifest {
    *   plugin
    * @param {boolean} manifestOptions.separatePullRequests If true, create separate pull
    *   requests instead of a single manifest release pull request
+   * @param {boolean} manifestOptions.alwaysUpdate If true, always updates pull requests instead of
+   *   only when the release notes change
    * @param {PluginType[]} manifestOptions.plugins Any plugins to use for this repository
    * @param {boolean} manifestOptions.fork If true, create pull requests from a fork. Defaults
    *   to `false`
@@ -361,6 +366,7 @@ export class Manifest {
     this.separatePullRequests =
       manifestOptions?.separatePullRequests ??
       Object.keys(repositoryConfig).length === 1;
+    this.alwaysUpdate = manifestOptions?.alwaysUpdate || false;
     this.fork = manifestOptions?.fork || false;
     this.signoffUser = manifestOptions?.signoff;
     this.releaseLabels =
@@ -1016,7 +1022,9 @@ export class Manifest {
         openPullRequest.headBranchName === pullRequest.headRefName
     );
     if (existing) {
-      return await this.maybeUpdateExistingPullRequest(existing, pullRequest);
+      return this.alwaysUpdate
+        ? await this.updateExistingPullRequest(existing, pullRequest)
+        : await this.maybeUpdateExistingPullRequest(existing, pullRequest);
     }
 
     // look for closed, snoozed pull request
@@ -1025,7 +1033,9 @@ export class Manifest {
         openPullRequest.headBranchName === pullRequest.headRefName
     );
     if (snoozed) {
-      return await this.maybeUpdateSnoozedPullRequest(snoozed, pullRequest);
+      return this.alwaysUpdate
+        ? await this.updateExistingPullRequest(snoozed, pullRequest)
+        : await this.maybeUpdateSnoozedPullRequest(snoozed, pullRequest);
     }
 
     const body = await this.pullRequestOverflowHandler.handleOverflow(
@@ -1068,20 +1078,10 @@ export class Manifest {
       );
       return undefined;
     }
-    const updatedPullRequest = await this.github.updatePullRequest(
-      existing.number,
-      pullRequest,
-      this.targetBranch,
-      {
-        fork: this.fork,
-        signoffUser: this.signoffUser,
-        pullRequestOverflowHandler: this.pullRequestOverflowHandler,
-      }
-    );
-    return updatedPullRequest;
+    return await this.updateExistingPullRequest(existing, pullRequest);
   }
 
-  /// only update an snoozed pull request if it has release note changes
+  /// only update a snoozed pull request if it has release note changes
   private async maybeUpdateSnoozedPullRequest(
     snoozed: PullRequest,
     pullRequest: ReleasePullRequest
@@ -1093,8 +1093,22 @@ export class Manifest {
       );
       return undefined;
     }
-    const updatedPullRequest = await this.github.updatePullRequest(
-      snoozed.number,
+    const updatedPullRequest = await this.updateExistingPullRequest(
+      snoozed,
+      pullRequest
+    );
+    // TODO: consider leaving the snooze label
+    await this.github.removeIssueLabels([SNOOZE_LABEL], snoozed.number);
+    return updatedPullRequest;
+  }
+
+  /// force an update to an existing pull request
+  private async updateExistingPullRequest(
+    existing: PullRequest,
+    pullRequest: ReleasePullRequest
+  ): Promise<PullRequest> {
+    return await this.github.updatePullRequest(
+      existing.number,
       pullRequest,
       this.targetBranch,
       {
@@ -1103,9 +1117,6 @@ export class Manifest {
         pullRequestOverflowHandler: this.pullRequestOverflowHandler,
       }
     );
-    // TODO: consider leaving the snooze label
-    await this.github.removeIssueLabels([SNOOZE_LABEL], snoozed.number);
-    return updatedPullRequest;
   }
 
   private async *findMergedReleasePullRequests() {
@@ -1428,6 +1439,7 @@ async function parseConfig(
     lastReleaseSha: config['last-release-sha'],
     alwaysLinkLocal: config['always-link-local'],
     separatePullRequests: config['separate-pull-requests'],
+    alwaysUpdate: config['always-update'],
     groupPullRequestTitlePattern: config['group-pull-request-title-pattern'],
     plugins: config['plugins'],
     signoff: config['signoff'],
diff --git a/test/manifest.ts b/test/manifest.ts
index f8394290a..9c0d44caf 100644
--- a/test/manifest.ts
+++ b/test/manifest.ts
@@ -4330,6 +4330,89 @@ describe('Manifest', () => {
         const pullRequestNumbers = await manifest.createPullRequests();
         expect(pullRequestNumbers).lengthOf(0);
       });
+
+      it('updates an existing pull request without changes if set to always update', async function () {
+        sandbox
+          .stub(github, 'getFileContentsOnBranch')
+          .withArgs('README.md', 'main')
+          .resolves(buildGitHubFileRaw('some-content'))
+          .withArgs('release-notes.md', 'my-head-branch--release-notes')
+          .resolves(buildGitHubFileRaw(body.toString()));
+        stubSuggesterWithSnapshot(sandbox, this.test!.fullTitle());
+        mockPullRequests(
+          github,
+          [
+            {
+              number: 22,
+              title: 'pr title1',
+              body: pullRequestBody('release-notes/overflow.txt'),
+              headBranchName: 'release-please/branches/main',
+              baseBranchName: 'main',
+              labels: ['autorelease: pending'],
+              files: [],
+            },
+          ],
+          []
+        );
+        sandbox
+          .stub(github, 'updatePullRequest')
+          .withArgs(
+            22,
+            sinon.match.any,
+            sinon.match.any,
+            sinon.match.has('pullRequestOverflowHandler', sinon.match.truthy)
+          )
+          .resolves({
+            number: 22,
+            title: 'pr title1',
+            body: 'pr body1',
+            headBranchName: 'release-please/branches/main',
+            baseBranchName: 'main',
+            labels: [],
+            files: [],
+          });
+        const manifest = new Manifest(
+          github,
+          'main',
+          {
+            'path/a': {
+              releaseType: 'node',
+              component: 'pkg1',
+            },
+            'path/b': {
+              releaseType: 'node',
+              component: 'pkg2',
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            'path/a': Version.parse('1.0.0'),
+            'path/b': Version.parse('0.2.3'),
+          },
+          {
+            separatePullRequests: true,
+            alwaysUpdate: true,
+            plugins: ['node-workspace'],
+          }
+        );
+        sandbox.stub(manifest, 'buildPullRequests').resolves([
+          {
+            title: PullRequestTitle.ofTargetBranch('main'),
+            body,
+            updates: [
+              {
+                path: 'README.md',
+                createIfMissing: false,
+                updater: new RawContent('some raw content'),
+              },
+            ],
+            labels: [],
+            headRefName: 'release-please/branches/main',
+            draft: false,
+          },
+        ]);
+        const pullRequestNumbers = await manifest.createPullRequests();
+        expect(pullRequestNumbers).lengthOf(1);
+      });
     });
 
     it('updates an existing snapshot pull request', async function () {