diff --git a/.github/actions/bot-autoassign/base.py b/.github/actions/bot-autoassign/base.py
index 88686f08..2637935d 100644
--- a/.github/actions/bot-autoassign/base.py
+++ b/.github/actions/bot-autoassign/base.py
@@ -142,6 +142,9 @@ def validate_pr_issues(self, pr):
             if pr.user and isinstance(getattr(pr.user, "login", None), str)
             else ""
         )
+        if pr_author == self.bot_login:
+            print(f"Author {pr_author} is the configured bot. Proceeding.")
+            return True
         exclude_authors_env = os.environ.get(
             "EXCLUDE_PR_AUTHORS", DEFAULT_EXCLUDE_PR_AUTHORS
         )
diff --git a/.github/actions/bot-autoassign/tests/test_issue_assignment_bot.py b/.github/actions/bot-autoassign/tests/test_issue_assignment_bot.py
index 8b47458e..e7b5024f 100644
--- a/.github/actions/bot-autoassign/tests/test_issue_assignment_bot.py
+++ b/.github/actions/bot-autoassign/tests/test_issue_assignment_bot.py
@@ -1101,6 +1101,17 @@ def test_validate_pr_issues_exempt_association(self, bot_env):
         mock_pr.author_association = "MEMBER"
         assert bot.validate_pr_issues(mock_pr)
 
+    def test_validate_pr_issues_exempt_bot_author(self, bot_env):
+        bot = IssueAssignmentBot()
+        mock_pr = Mock()
+        mock_pr.user.login = "openwisp-companion[bot]"
+        mock_pr.author_association = "NONE"
+        mock_pr.body = "Backport of #504 to `1.2`."
+        assert bot.validate_pr_issues(mock_pr)
+        bot_env["github_validation"].get_repo.assert_not_called()
+        bot.github_validation.requester.graphql_query.assert_not_called()
+        bot_env["repo_validation"].get_issue.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_validate_pr_issues_no_issues(self, bot_env):
         bot = IssueAssignmentBot()
         mock_pr = Mock()
diff --git a/docs/developer/reusable-github-utils.rst b/docs/developer/reusable-github-utils.rst
index 3672b868..48e343d7 100644
--- a/docs/developer/reusable-github-utils.rst
+++ b/docs/developer/reusable-github-utils.rst
@@ -70,14 +70,15 @@ OpenWISP repositories. The bot provides the following features:
   no assignment is needed — just open a PR.
 - **Stale PR management**: Warns PR authors after 7 days of inactivity,
   marks stale and unassigns after 14 days, and posts a final follow-up
-  encouragement after 60 days. The bot does not auto-close PRs.
+  encouragement after 60 days. The bot does not auto-close stale PRs.
 - **PR reopen reassignment**: When a stale PR is reopened, linked issues
   are reassigned back to the author.
 - **PR validation**: Enforces the `OpenWISP Contributing Guidelines
   <https://openwisp.io/docs/dev/developer/contributing.html>`_ for
   external contributors by flagging PRs that do not link a validated
-  issue. The bot removes the ``invalid`` label once the PR is valid and
-  closes unresolved invalid PRs after 24 hours.
+  issue. PRs created by the configured GitHub App are exempt. The bot
+  removes the ``invalid`` label once the PR is valid and closes unresolved
+  invalid PRs after 24 hours.
 
 **How Stale PR Detection Works**