diff --git a/.github/workflows/backport.yaml b/.github/workflows/backport.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d96edc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/backport.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+name: "Backport"
+
+on:
+  pull_request_target:
+    types:
+      - "closed"
+      - "labeled"
+
+concurrency:
+  group: "PR #${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}"
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  backport:
+    if: "github.event.pull_request.merged"
+    runs-on: "ubuntu-24.04"
+    steps:
+      - uses: "actions/checkout@v5"
+        with:
+          ref: "main"
+          clean: false
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - uses: "actions/create-github-app-token@v2"
+        id: "backport-pr-app-token"
+        with:
+          app-id: "${{ vars.BACKPORT_PR_APP_ID }}"
+          private-key: "${{ secrets.BACKPORT_PR_APP_KEY }}"
+      - uses: "oxidecomputer/backport-pr-action@v0"
+        with:
+          pr: "${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}"
+          github-token: "${{ steps.backport-pr-app-token.outputs.token }}"
+          bot-name: "Oxide Backport Bot"
+          bot-email: "bot@oxidecomputer.com"
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 13cf176..278d04a 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -14,17 +14,47 @@ you wish to generate the SDK from, and run:
 $ make all
 ```
 
+## Backporting changes
+
+The repository is organized with multiple release branches, each targeting a
+specific release line. The release branches are named `rel/vX.Y` where `X.Y`
+represents the release line version.
+
+Pull requests should target the `main` branch and be backported to release
+lines as necessary.
+
+To backport a PR to the branch `rel/vX.Y` add the label
+`backport/vX.Y` to the PR. Once merged, the backport automation will create a
+new PR backporting the changes to the release branch. The backport label can
+also be added after the PR is merged.
+
+If a backport has merge conflicts, the conflicts are committed to the PR and
+you can checkout the branch to fix them. Once the changes are clean, you can
+merge the backport PR.
+
 ## Releasing a new SDK version
 
-1. Make sure the following files have the new version you want to release.
+### Breaking change release
+
+Releases that contain breaking changes require a new release branch.
+
+1. Create a branch called `rel/vX.Y` from `main`.
+2. Create a new label called `backport/vX.Y`.
+
+Proceed with the steps below to complete the release.
+
+### General release flow
+
+1. Switch to the release branch you are targeting.
+2. Make sure the following files have the new version you want to release.
    - [`VERSION`](./VERSION)
    - [`oxide/version.go`](./oxide/version.go)
-2. Make sure you have run `make all` and pushed any changes. The release
+3. Make sure you have run `make all` and pushed any changes. The release
    will fail if running `make all` causes any changes to the generated
    code.
-3. Generate the changelog with `make changelog`.
-4. Run `make tag` from your local `main` branch. This is just a command for making a git tag
+4. Generate the changelog with `make changelog`.
+5. Run `make tag` from your local `main` branch. This is just a command for making a git tag
    formatted correctly with the version.
-5. Push the tag (the result of `make tag` gives instructions for this) to this repository.
-6. Everything else is triggered from the tag push. Just make sure all the tests
+6. Push the tag (the result of `make tag` gives instructions for this) to this repository.
+7. Everything else is triggered from the tag push. Just make sure all the tests
    pass on the `main` branch before making and pushing a new tag.