diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 2d8aa27b6e0..902ee6470a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ jobs:
 
   lint:
     name: Lint
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['lint'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['lint'] }}
     uses: ./.github/workflows/lint-action.yml
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ jobs:
     name: "Prepare Release: ${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}"
     runs-on:
       - ubuntu-22.04
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['prepare-release'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['prepare-release'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
     steps:
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ jobs:
 
   build-docs:
     name: Documentation
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['build-docs'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['build-docs'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - build-source-tarball
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ jobs:
 
   build-source-tarball:
     name: Build Source Tarball
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['build-source-tarball'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['build-source-tarball'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - prepare-release
diff --git a/.github/workflows/draft-release.yml b/.github/workflows/draft-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..766342cf88c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/draft-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+---
+name: Draft Github Release
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      salt-version:
+        type: string
+        required: true
+        description: The Salt version to set prior to building packages.
+      matrix:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+        description: Json job matrix config
+
+env:
+  COLUMNS: 190
+  PIP_INDEX_URL: ${{ vars.PIP_INDEX_URL }}
+  PIP_TRUSTED_HOST: ${{ vars.PIP_TRUSTED_HOST }}
+  PIP_EXTRA_INDEX_URL: ${{ vars.PIP_EXTRA_INDEX_URL }}
+  PIP_DISABLE_PIP_VERSION_CHECK: "1"
+
+jobs:
+
+  create-github-release:
+    name: Create Github Draft Release
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    steps:
+      # Checkout here so we can easily use custom actions
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+      - name: List Directory Structure
+        run: ls -R
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
index e0d5efa3759..7f46fb2b5ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ jobs:
 
   lint:
     name: Lint
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['lint'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['lint'] }}
     uses: ./.github/workflows/lint-action.yml
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ jobs:
     name: "Prepare Release: ${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}"
     runs-on:
       - ubuntu-22.04
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['prepare-release'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['prepare-release'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
     steps:
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ jobs:
 
   build-docs:
     name: Documentation
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['build-docs'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['build-docs'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - build-source-tarball
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ jobs:
 
   build-source-tarball:
     name: Build Source Tarball
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['build-source-tarball'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['build-source-tarball'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - prepare-release
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 3a0913db1ea..6c616a7ca53 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -254,25 +254,6 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           tools pkg repo publish release ${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}
 
-  pkg-download-tests:
-    name: Package Downloads
-    if: ${{ inputs.skip-salt-pkg-download-test-suite == false }}
-    needs:
-      - prepare-workflow
-      - build-ci-deps
-      - download-onedir-artifact
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-package-downloads-action.yml
-    with:
-      nox-session: ci-test-onedir
-      cache-prefix: ${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.cache-seed }}|3.10.15
-      salt-version: "${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}"
-      environment: release
-      nox-version: 2022.8.7
-      python-version: "3.10"
-      skip-code-coverage: true
-      latest-release: "${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.latest-release }}"
-    secrets: inherit
-
   release:
     name: Release v${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}
     if: ${{ always() && ! failure() && ! cancelled() }}
@@ -284,7 +265,6 @@ jobs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - backup
       - publish-repositories
-      - pkg-download-tests
     environment: release
     steps:
       - name: Clone The Salt Repository
@@ -448,7 +428,6 @@ jobs:
       - check-requirements
       - prepare-workflow
       - publish-repositories
-      - pkg-download-tests
       - release
       - publish-pypi
       - build-ci-deps
diff --git a/.github/workflows/scheduled.yml b/.github/workflows/scheduled.yml
index b6a4fa9fe86..16dc76940a3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/scheduled.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/scheduled.yml
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ jobs:
 
   lint:
     name: Lint
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['lint'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['lint'] }}
     uses: ./.github/workflows/lint-action.yml
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ jobs:
     name: "Prepare Release: ${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}"
     runs-on:
       - ubuntu-22.04
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['prepare-release'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['prepare-release'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
     steps:
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ jobs:
 
   build-docs:
     name: Documentation
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['build-docs'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['build-docs'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - build-source-tarball
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ jobs:
 
   build-source-tarball:
     name: Build Source Tarball
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['build-source-tarball'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['build-source-tarball'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - prepare-release
diff --git a/.github/workflows/staging.yml b/.github/workflows/staging.yml
index c4cf136fe5f..36e5fabfc01 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/staging.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/staging.yml
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ jobs:
 
   lint:
     name: Lint
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['lint'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['lint'] }}
     uses: ./.github/workflows/lint-action.yml
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ jobs:
     name: "Prepare Release: ${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}"
     runs-on:
       - ubuntu-22.04
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['prepare-release'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['prepare-release'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
     steps:
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ jobs:
 
   build-docs:
     name: Documentation
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['build-docs'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['build-docs'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - build-source-tarball
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ jobs:
 
   build-source-tarball:
     name: Build Source Tarball
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['build-source-tarball'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['build-source-tarball'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - prepare-release
@@ -582,6 +582,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: salt-${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}.patch
           path: artifacts/release
+
       - name: Download Release Documentation (HTML)
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
@@ -592,25 +593,6 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           tree -a artifacts/release
 
-  pkg-download-tests:
-    name: Package Downloads
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['test-pkg-download'] }}
-    needs:
-      - prepare-workflow
-      - build-ci-deps
-      - build-salt-onedir
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-package-downloads-action.yml
-    with:
-      nox-session: ci-test-onedir
-      cache-prefix: ${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.cache-seed }}|3.10.15
-      salt-version: "${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}"
-      environment: staging
-      nox-version: 2022.8.7
-      python-version: "3.10"
-      skip-code-coverage: true
-      latest-release: "${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.latest-release }}"
-    secrets: inherit
-
   publish-pypi:
     name: Publish to PyPi(test)
     if: ${{ inputs.skip-test-pypi-publish != true && github.event.repository.fork != true }}
@@ -618,7 +600,6 @@ jobs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - upload-release-artifacts
       - build-ci-deps
-      - pkg-download-tests
     environment: staging
     runs-on:
       - ubuntu-22.04
@@ -666,6 +647,16 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           tools pkg pypi-upload --test artifacts/release/salt-${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}.tar.gz
 
+  draft-release:
+    name: Draft Github Release
+    needs:
+      - prepare-workflow
+      - upload-release-artifacts
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/draft-release.yml
+    with:
+      salt-version: "${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}"
+      matrix: ${{ toJSON(fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['build-matrix']) }}
+
   set-pipeline-exit-status:
     # This step is just so we can make github require this step, to pass checks
     # on a pull request instead of requiring all
@@ -683,7 +674,6 @@ jobs:
       - build-salt-onedir
       - build-pkgs-src
       - upload-release-artifacts
-      - pkg-download-tests
       - publish-pypi
     steps:
       - name: Get workflow information
diff --git a/.github/workflows/templates/ci.yml.jinja b/.github/workflows/templates/ci.yml.jinja
index 08c6be4c409..38a7cec037c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/templates/ci.yml.jinja
+++ b/.github/workflows/templates/ci.yml.jinja
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
   lint:
     <%- do conclusion_needs.append('lint') %>
     name: Lint
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['<{ job_name }>'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['<{ job_name }>'] }}
     uses: ./.github/workflows/lint-action.yml
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
     name: "Prepare Release: ${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}"
     runs-on:
       - ubuntu-22.04
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['<{ job_name }>'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['<{ job_name }>'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
     steps:
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
   <{ job_name }>:
     <%- do conclusion_needs.append(job_name) %>
     name: Documentation
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['<{ job_name }>'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['<{ job_name }>'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - build-source-tarball
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@
 
   <{ job_name }>:
     name: Build Source Tarball
-    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.jobs)['<{ job_name }>'] }}
+    if: ${{ fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['jobs']['<{ job_name }>'] }}
     needs:
       - prepare-workflow
       - prepare-release
diff --git a/.github/workflows/templates/release.yml.jinja b/.github/workflows/templates/release.yml.jinja
index ccad8c7c95c..b1b5e574afe 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/templates/release.yml.jinja
+++ b/.github/workflows/templates/release.yml.jinja
@@ -278,10 +278,6 @@ permissions:
         run: |
           tools pkg repo publish <{ gh_environment }> ${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}
 
-  <%- if includes.get("test-pkg-downloads", True) %>
-  <%- include "test-salt-pkg-repo-downloads.yml.jinja" %>
-  <%- endif %>
-
   release:
     <%- do conclusion_needs.append('release') %>
     name: Release v${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/templates/staging.yml.jinja b/.github/workflows/templates/staging.yml.jinja
index c3de71922e0..79e1503fdbd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/templates/staging.yml.jinja
+++ b/.github/workflows/templates/staging.yml.jinja
@@ -91,13 +91,6 @@ concurrency:
       - ubuntu-22.04
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-     {#-
-      - name: Get Salt Project GitHub Actions Bot Environment
-        run: |
-          TOKEN=$(curl -sS -f -X PUT "http://169.254.169.254/latest/api/token" -H "X-aws-ec2-metadata-token-ttl-seconds: 30")
-          SPB_ENVIRONMENT=$(curl -sS -f -H "X-aws-ec2-metadata-token: $TOKEN" http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/tags/instance/spb:environment)
-          echo "SPB_ENVIRONMENT=$SPB_ENVIRONMENT" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
-     #}
 
       - name: Setup Python Tools Scripts
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-python-tools-scripts
@@ -110,14 +103,6 @@ concurrency:
           name: salt-${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}.patch
           path: artifacts/release
 
-      {#-
-      - name: Download Source Repository
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: salt-${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}-<{ gh_environment }>-src-repo
-          path: artifacts/release
-
-      #}
       - name: Download Release Documentation (HTML)
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
@@ -128,35 +113,6 @@ concurrency:
         run: |
           tree -a artifacts/release
 
-      {#-
-
-      - name: Download Release Documentation (PDF)
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: Salt-${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}.pdf
-          path: artifacts/release
-
-
-      - name: Upload Release Artifacts
-        run: |
-          tools release upload-artifacts ${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }} artifacts/release
-
-
-      - name: Upload PyPi Artifacts
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: pypi-artifacts
-          path: |
-            artifacts/release/salt-${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}.tar.gz
-            artifacts/release/salt-${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}.tar.gz.asc
-          retention-days: 7
-          if-no-files-found: error
-      #}
-
-  <%- if includes.get("test-pkg-downloads", True) %>
-  <%- include "test-salt-pkg-repo-downloads.yml.jinja" %>
-  <%- endif %>
-
   publish-pypi:
     <%- do conclusion_needs.append('publish-pypi') %>
     name: Publish to PyPi(test)
@@ -220,4 +176,23 @@ concurrency:
         run: |
           tools pkg pypi-upload --test artifacts/release/salt-${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}.tar.gz
 
+  draft-release:
+    name: Draft Github Release
+    needs:
+      - prepare-workflow
+      - upload-release-artifacts
+      <%- for need in test_salt_needs.iter(consume=True) %>
+      - <{ need }>
+      <%- endfor %>
+      <%- for need in test_salt_pkg_needs.iter(consume=True) %>
+      - <{ need }>
+      <%- endfor %>
+      <%- for need in test_repo_needs.iter(consume=True) %>
+      - <{ need }>
+      <%- endfor %>
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/draft-release.yml
+    with:
+      salt-version: "${{ needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.salt-version }}"
+      matrix: ${{ toJSON(fromJSON(needs.prepare-workflow.outputs.config)['build-matrix']) }}
+
 <%- endblock jobs %>