diff --git a/.github/renovate.json5 b/.github/renovate.json5
index d8cb8e634..3b6beecd9 100644
--- a/.github/renovate.json5
+++ b/.github/renovate.json5
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   $schema: "https://docs.renovatebot.com/renovate-schema.json",
-  extends: ["config:recommended"],
+  extends: ["config:best-practices", "config:recommended"],
   platformCommit: "enabled",
   automerge: true,
   ignorePaths: [
@@ -8,4 +8,5 @@
     // agent resources packages an OTel API that is the minimum required API version
     "**/prometheus-metrics-exporter-opentelemetry-otel-agent-resources/pom.xml",
   ],
+  labels: ["dependencies"],
 }
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-release-build.yml b/.github/workflows/test-release-build.yml
index 78ee73332..f1aa44073 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-release-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-release-build.yml
@@ -25,4 +25,7 @@ jobs:
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-maven-
       - name: Run the Maven verify phase
-        run: mise run build-release
+        run: ./scripts/build-release.sh
+        env:
+          # don't ues the current snapshot version, to test a more realistic release
+          TAG: ${{ github.run_number }}
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 509cc12e4..334f4dc7e 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -69,50 +69,6 @@
       <version>3.0.2</version>
       <scope>provided</scope>
     </dependency>
-
-    <!-- test dependencies -->
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.junit.jupiter</groupId>
-      <artifactId>junit-jupiter</artifactId>
-      <version>${junit-jupiter.version}</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.junit.jupiter</groupId>
-      <artifactId>junit-jupiter-params</artifactId>
-      <version>${junit-jupiter.version}</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
-      <artifactId>mockito-core</artifactId>
-      <version>5.18.0</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.assertj</groupId>
-      <artifactId>assertj-core</artifactId>
-      <version>3.27.3</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>com.google.guava</groupId>
-      <artifactId>guava</artifactId>
-      <version>${guava.version}</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
-      <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
-      <version>2.0.17</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.junit-pioneer</groupId>
-      <artifactId>junit-pioneer</artifactId>
-      <version>2.3.0</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
   </dependencies>
 
   <build>
@@ -387,8 +343,84 @@
             <type>pom</type>
             <scope>import</scope>
           </dependency>
+          <dependency>
+            <groupId>io.opentelemetry.instrumentation</groupId>
+            <artifactId>opentelemetry-instrumentation-bom-alpha</artifactId>
+            <version>${otel.instrumentation.version}</version>
+            <type>pom</type>
+            <scope>import</scope>
+          </dependency>
+          <dependency>
+            <groupId>io.opentelemetry</groupId>
+            <artifactId>opentelemetry-proto</artifactId>
+            <version>1.7.1-alpha</version>
+            <scope>test</scope>
+          </dependency>
         </dependencies>
       </dependencyManagement>
+      <dependencies>
+        <!-- test dependencies -->
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>org.junit.jupiter</groupId>
+          <artifactId>junit-jupiter</artifactId>
+          <version>${junit-jupiter.version}</version>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>org.junit.jupiter</groupId>
+          <artifactId>junit-jupiter-params</artifactId>
+          <version>${junit-jupiter.version}</version>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
+          <artifactId>mockito-core</artifactId>
+          <version>5.18.0</version>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>org.assertj</groupId>
+          <artifactId>assertj-core</artifactId>
+          <version>3.27.3</version>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>com.google.guava</groupId>
+          <artifactId>guava</artifactId>
+          <version>${guava.version}</version>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
+          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
+          <version>2.0.17</version>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>org.junit-pioneer</groupId>
+          <artifactId>junit-pioneer</artifactId>
+          <version>2.3.0</version>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>org.awaitility</groupId>
+          <artifactId>awaitility</artifactId>
+          <version>4.3.0</version>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>org.wiremock</groupId>
+          <artifactId>wiremock</artifactId>
+          <version>3.13.1</version>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+          <exclusions>
+            <exclusion>
+              <groupId>org.hamcrest</groupId>
+              <artifactId>hamcrest-core</artifactId>
+            </exclusion>
+          </exclusions>
+        </dependency>
+      </dependencies>
     </profile>
     <profile>
       <id>javadoc</id>
diff --git a/prometheus-metrics-exporter-opentelemetry-shaded/pom.xml b/prometheus-metrics-exporter-opentelemetry-shaded/pom.xml
index 2b5c67da4..1abee8d6c 100644
--- a/prometheus-metrics-exporter-opentelemetry-shaded/pom.xml
+++ b/prometheus-metrics-exporter-opentelemetry-shaded/pom.xml
@@ -68,39 +68,37 @@
       <groupId>io.opentelemetry.instrumentation</groupId>
       <artifactId>opentelemetry-resources</artifactId>
     </dependency>
-
-    <!-- test dependencies -->
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.wiremock</groupId>
-      <artifactId>wiremock</artifactId>
-      <version>3.13.1</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-      <exclusions>
-        <exclusion>
-          <groupId>org.hamcrest</groupId>
-          <artifactId>hamcrest-core</artifactId>
-        </exclusion>
-      </exclusions>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.awaitility</groupId>
-      <artifactId>awaitility</artifactId>
-      <version>4.3.0</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>io.opentelemetry</groupId>
-      <artifactId>opentelemetry-proto</artifactId>
-      <version>1.7.1-alpha</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>io.opentelemetry</groupId>
-      <artifactId>opentelemetry-sdk-testing</artifactId>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
   </dependencies>
 
+  <profiles>
+    <!-- just to make sure that default profile is only activated if no profiles are specified -->
+    <profile>
+      <id>javadoc</id>
+    </profile>
+    <profile>
+      <id>release</id>
+    </profile>
+    <profile>
+      <id>default</id>
+      <activation>
+        <activeByDefault>true</activeByDefault>
+      </activation>
+      <dependencies>
+        <!-- GH pages and release task try to resolve this and fail -->
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>io.opentelemetry</groupId>
+          <artifactId>opentelemetry-proto</artifactId>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>io.opentelemetry</groupId>
+          <artifactId>opentelemetry-sdk-testing</artifactId>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+      </dependencies>
+    </profile>
+  </profiles>
+
   <build>
     <resources>
       <resource>
@@ -127,7 +125,7 @@
                   <directory>../prometheus-metrics-exporter-opentelemetry/src/main</directory>
                 </resource>
                 <resources>
-              </resources>
+                </resources>
               </resources>
             </configuration>
           </execution>
diff --git a/prometheus-metrics-exporter-opentelemetry/pom.xml b/prometheus-metrics-exporter-opentelemetry/pom.xml
index 3d4d5c2f3..30eece5ae 100644
--- a/prometheus-metrics-exporter-opentelemetry/pom.xml
+++ b/prometheus-metrics-exporter-opentelemetry/pom.xml
@@ -69,39 +69,37 @@
       <groupId>io.opentelemetry.instrumentation</groupId>
       <artifactId>opentelemetry-resources</artifactId>
     </dependency>
-
-    <!-- test dependencies -->
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.wiremock</groupId>
-      <artifactId>wiremock</artifactId>
-      <version>3.13.1</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-      <exclusions>
-        <exclusion>
-          <groupId>org.hamcrest</groupId>
-          <artifactId>hamcrest-core</artifactId>
-        </exclusion>
-      </exclusions>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.awaitility</groupId>
-      <artifactId>awaitility</artifactId>
-      <version>4.3.0</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>io.opentelemetry</groupId>
-      <artifactId>opentelemetry-proto</artifactId>
-      <version>1.7.1-alpha</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>io.opentelemetry</groupId>
-      <artifactId>opentelemetry-sdk-testing</artifactId>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
   </dependencies>
 
+  <profiles>
+    <!-- just to make sure that default profile is only activated if no profiles are specified -->
+    <profile>
+      <id>javadoc</id>
+    </profile>
+    <profile>
+      <id>release</id>
+    </profile>
+    <profile>
+      <id>default</id>
+      <activation>
+        <activeByDefault>true</activeByDefault>
+      </activation>
+      <dependencies>
+        <!-- GH pages and release task try to resolve this and fail -->
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>io.opentelemetry</groupId>
+          <artifactId>opentelemetry-proto</artifactId>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>io.opentelemetry</groupId>
+          <artifactId>opentelemetry-sdk-testing</artifactId>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+      </dependencies>
+    </profile>
+  </profiles>
+
   <build>
     <resources>
       <resource>
diff --git a/prometheus-metrics-exposition-formats-shaded/pom.xml b/prometheus-metrics-exposition-formats-shaded/pom.xml
index 1d64a2ad8..178dbebe4 100644
--- a/prometheus-metrics-exposition-formats-shaded/pom.xml
+++ b/prometheus-metrics-exposition-formats-shaded/pom.xml
@@ -33,15 +33,34 @@
       <artifactId>protobuf-java</artifactId>
       <version>${protobuf-java.version}</version>
     </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>io.prometheus</groupId>
-      <artifactId>prometheus-metrics-exposition-textformats</artifactId>
-      <version>${project.version}</version>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-      <type>test-jar</type>
-    </dependency>
   </dependencies>
 
+  <profiles>
+    <!-- just to make sure that default profile is only activated if no profiles are specified -->
+    <profile>
+      <id>javadoc</id>
+    </profile>
+    <profile>
+      <id>release</id>
+    </profile>
+    <profile>
+      <id>default</id>
+      <activation>
+        <activeByDefault>true</activeByDefault>
+      </activation>
+      <dependencies>
+        <!-- GH pages and release task try to resolve this and fail -->
+        <dependency>
+          <groupId>io.prometheus</groupId>
+          <artifactId>prometheus-metrics-exposition-textformats</artifactId>
+          <version>${project.version}</version>
+          <scope>test</scope>
+          <type>test-jar</type>
+        </dependency>
+      </dependencies>
+    </profile>
+  </profiles>
+
   <build>
     <plugins>
       <plugin>