diff --git a/.ci/scripts/check_release.py b/.ci/scripts/check_release.py
index d9f5c6912..ec9338fea 100755
--- a/.ci/scripts/check_release.py
+++ b/.ci/scripts/check_release.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def main():
         "--branches",
         default="supported",
         help="A comma separated list of branches to check for releases. Can also use keyword: "
-        "'supported'. Defaults to 'supported', see `ci_update_branches` in "
+        "'supported'. Defaults to 'supported', see `supported_release_branches` in "
         "`plugin_template.yml`.",
     )
     opts = parser.parse_args()
@@ -46,12 +46,15 @@ def main():
         if branches == "supported":
             with open(f"{d}/template_config.yml", mode="r") as f:
                 tc = yaml.safe_load(f)
-                branches = tc["ci_update_branches"]
-            branches.append(DEFAULT_BRANCH)
+                branches = set(tc["supported_release_branches"])
+            latest_release_branch = tc["latest_release_branch"]
+            if latest_release_branch is not None:
+                branches.add(latest_release_branch)
+            branches.add(DEFAULT_BRANCH)
         else:
-            branches = branches.split(",")
+            branches = set(branches.split(","))
 
-        if diff := set(branches) - set(available_branches):
+        if diff := branches - set(available_branches):
             print(f"Supplied branches contains non-existent branches! {diff}")
             exit(1)
 
diff --git a/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py b/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py
index 0ce1f71a4..d51b6a188 100755
--- a/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py
+++ b/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@
 CHANGELOG_FILE = tc_settings.get("filename", "NEWS.rst")
 START_STRING = tc_settings.get(
     "start_string",
-    "<!-- towncrier release notes start -->\n"
-    if CHANGELOG_FILE.endswith(".md")
-    else ".. towncrier release notes start\n",
+    (
+        "<!-- towncrier release notes start -->\n"
+        if CHANGELOG_FILE.endswith(".md")
+        else ".. towncrier release notes start\n"
+    ),
 )
 TITLE_FORMAT = tc_settings.get("title_format", "{name} {version} ({project_date})")
 
diff --git a/.github/template_gitref b/.github/template_gitref
index 4720fb72a..6cfa2261f 100644
--- a/.github/template_gitref
+++ b/.github/template_gitref
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2021.08.26-307-gdfd2f01
+2021.08.26-312-ge121aa6
diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-branch.yml b/.github/workflows/create-branch.yml
index c8e438265..fdd672bd2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-branch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-branch.yml
@@ -71,6 +71,19 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           find CHANGES -type f -regex ".*\.\(bugfix\|doc\|feature\|misc\|deprecation\|removal\)" -exec git rm {} +
 
+      - name: Checkout plugin template
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          repository: pulp/plugin_template
+          path: plugin_template
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Update CI branches in template_config
+        working-directory: plugin_template
+        run: |
+          python3 ./plugin-template pulp_container --github --latest-release-branch "${NEW_BRANCH}"
+          git add -A
+
       - name: Make a PR with version bump and without CHANGES/*
         uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v4
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index b528f45a2..32033f1c6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
           path: "pulp_container"
+          token: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_TOKEN }}
 
       - uses: "actions/setup-python@v4"
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/scripts/update_backport_labels.py b/.github/workflows/scripts/update_backport_labels.py
index f66e53885..bff8b77ac 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/scripts/update_backport_labels.py
+++ b/.github/workflows/scripts/update_backport_labels.py
@@ -32,10 +32,14 @@ def random_color():
 assert response.status_code == 200
 old_labels = set([x["name"] for x in response.json() if x["name"].startswith("backport-")])
 
-# get ci_update_branches from template_config.yml
+# get list of branches from template_config.yml
 with open("./template_config.yml", "r") as f:
     plugin_template = yaml.safe_load(f)
-new_labels = set(["backport-" + x for x in plugin_template["ci_update_branches"]])
+branches = set(plugin_template["supported_release_branches"])
+latest_release_branch = plugin_template["latest_release_branch"]
+if latest_release_branch is not None:
+    branches.add(latest_release_branch)
+new_labels = {"backport-" + x for x in branches}
 
 # delete old labels that are not in new labels
 for label in old_labels.difference(new_labels):
diff --git a/docs/template_gitref b/docs/template_gitref
index 4720fb72a..6cfa2261f 100644
--- a/docs/template_gitref
+++ b/docs/template_gitref
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2021.08.26-307-gdfd2f01
+2021.08.26-312-ge121aa6
diff --git a/template_config.yml b/template_config.yml
index 85398ed61..5e6781a6a 100644
--- a/template_config.yml
+++ b/template_config.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # This config represents the latest values used when running the plugin-template. Any settings that
 # were not present before running plugin-template have been added with their default values.
 
-# generated with plugin_template@2021.08.26-305-g4288910
+# generated with plugin_template@2021.08.26-312-ge121aa6
 
 api_root: /pulp/
 black: true
@@ -11,13 +11,7 @@ check_manifest: true
 check_stray_pulpcore_imports: true
 ci_env: {}
 ci_trigger: '{pull_request: {branches: [''*'']}}'
-ci_update_branches:
-- '2.10'
-- '2.14'
-- '2.15'
-- '2.16'
 ci_update_docs: true
-ci_update_release_behavior: null
 cli_package: pulp-cli
 cli_repo: https://github.com/pulp/pulp-cli.git
 core_import_allowed: []
@@ -34,6 +28,7 @@ flake8_ignore: []
 github_org: pulp
 issue_tracker: github
 kanban: true
+latest_release_branch: null
 lint_requirements: true
 noissue_marker: '[noissue]'
 parallel_test_workers: 8
@@ -77,6 +72,11 @@ stalebot: true
 stalebot_days_until_close: 30
 stalebot_days_until_stale: 90
 stalebot_limit_to_pulls: true
+supported_release_branches:
+- '2.10'
+- '2.14'
+- '2.15'
+- '2.16'
 sync_ci: true
 test_azure: true
 test_cli: true
diff --git a/unittest_requirements.txt b/unittest_requirements.txt
index 368588061..5187864f9 100644
--- a/unittest_requirements.txt
+++ b/unittest_requirements.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 mock
 pytest-django
 pulp-smash @ git+https://github.com/pulp/pulp-smash.git
+pytest<8