diff --git a/.github/workflows/stale-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/stale-pr.yml
index e463791fa9..3b6ebf4168 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/stale-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/stale-pr.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: "Close stale spull requests"
+name: "Close stale pull requests"
 on:
   schedule:
     - cron: "12 3 * * *"  # arbitrary time not to DDOS GitHub
@@ -7,11 +7,12 @@ jobs:
   stale:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/stale@v3
+      - uses: actions/stale@v9
         with:
           repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           stale-pr-message: 'This PR was marked stale due to lack of activity. It will be closed in 7 days.'
           close-pr-message: 'Closed as inactive. Feel free to reopen if this PR is still being worked on.'
-          exempt-pr-labels: 'release:after-ga'
+          exempt-pr-labels: 'bug,work in progress,experts needed'
+          exempt-draft-pr: true
           days-before-stale: 15
           days-before-close: 7