diff --git a/.asf.yaml b/.asf.yaml
index f0ddaa602b7..07a88656480 100644
--- a/.asf.yaml
+++ b/.asf.yaml
@@ -137,13 +137,14 @@ github:
           include:
             - "~ALL"
           exclude:
+            # Globs don't cross '/' (even a trailing **), so use **/* to
+            # match branches at any depth under a prefix.
             - "refs/heads/main"
-            - "refs/heads/release/*"
-            - "refs/heads/backport/*"
+            - "refs/heads/release/**/*"
+            - "refs/heads/backport/**/*"
             - "refs/heads/gh-pages"
-            # Temporary branches GitHub's merge queue creates to test
-            # queued groups; must stay creatable or the queue breaks.
-            - "refs/heads/gh-readonly-queue/*"
+            - "refs/heads/dependabot/**/*"
+            - "refs/heads/gh-readonly-queue/**/*"
       bypass_actors:
         # apache/root — ASF Infra team.
         - actor_id: 118420