diff --git a/.github/workflows/stale.yml b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
index b7637ed3540..dfc7ec71bcc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/stale.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,17 @@
 name: stale
 
 on:
+  schedule:
+    # Run nightly at 1am EST
+    - cron: '0 5 * * *'
+
   workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      dry-run:
+        description: Run the stale action in debug-only mode
+        default: false
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
 
 jobs:
   stale:
@@ -13,30 +23,35 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/stale@v9
         id: stale
         with:
-          debug-only: true
-          days-before-stale: 90
+          debug-only: ${{ inputs.dry-run || false }}
+
+          days-before-stale: 23
           days-before-close: 7
+          days-before-pr-close: -1 # Never close PRs
           ascending: true
           operations-per-run: 300
 
-          # Ignore all assigned
-          exempt-all-assignees: false
-
           # Issues
-          stale-issue-label: 'stale'
-          exempt-issue-labels: 'blocked,must,should,keep,created-by: Payload team,created-by: Contributor'
-          stale-issue-message: >
-            This issue has been marked as stale due to lack of activity. To keep the ticket open, please indicate that it is still relevant in a comment below.
-          close-issue-message: >
+          stale-issue-label: stale
+          exempt-issue-labels: 'prioritized,keep,created-by: Payload team,created-by: Contributor,status: verified'
+          stale-issue-message: |
+            This issue has been marked as stale due to lack of activity.
+
+            To keep this issue open, please indicate that it is still relevant in a comment below.
+
+          close-issue-message: |
             This issue was automatically closed due to lack of activity.
 
           # Pull Requests
-          stale-pr-label: 'stale'
-          exempt-pr-labels: 'blocked,must,should,keep,created-by: Payload team,created-by: Contributor'
-          stale-pr-message: >
-            This PR is stale due to lack of activity. To keep the PR open, please indicate that it is still relevant in a comment below.
-          close-pr-message: >
+          stale-pr-label: stale
+          exempt-pr-labels: 'prioritized,keep,created-by: Payload team,created-by: Contributor'
+          stale-pr-message: |
+            This PR is stale due to lack of activity.
+
+            To keep the PR open, please indicate that it is still relevant in a comment below.
+          close-pr-message: |
             This pull request was automatically closed due to lack of activity.
 
+      # TODO: Add a step to notify team
       - name: Print outputs
         run: echo ${{ format('{0},{1}', toJSON(steps.stale.outputs.staled-issues-prs), toJSON(steps.stale.outputs.closed-issues-prs)) }}