diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 81e0069..4ae585a 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -5,3 +5,9 @@ updates:
   schedule:
     interval: weekly
   open-pull-requests-limit: 10
+
+- package-ecosystem: github-actions
+  directory: "/"
+  schedule:
+    interval: weekly
+  open-pull-requests-limit: 10
diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto_release_prep.yml b/.github/workflows/auto_release_prep.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ad905fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto_release_prep.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+name: Automated release prep
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  auto_release_prep:
+    uses: puppetlabs/release-engineering-repo-standards/.github/workflows/auto_release_prep.yml@v1
+    secrets: inherit
+    with:
+      project-type: ruby
+      version-file-path: lib/vmpooler-provider-gce/version.rb
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependabot_merge.yml b/.github/workflows/dependabot_merge.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..75b9cea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependabot_merge.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+name: Dependabot auto-merge
+
+on: pull_request
+
+jobs:
+  dependabot_merge:
+    uses: puppetlabs/release-engineering-repo-standards/.github/workflows/dependabot_merge.yml@v1
+    secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ensure_label.yml b/.github/workflows/ensure_label.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..50a5fa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ensure_label.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+name: Ensure label
+
+on: pull_request
+
+jobs:
+  ensure_label:
+    uses: puppetlabs/release-engineering-repo-standards/.github/workflows/ensure_label.yml@v1
+    secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 4db3728..add1656 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: github.repository == 'puppetlabs/vmpooler-provider-gce'
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Get Current Version
-        uses: actions/github-script@v6
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
         id: cv
         with:
           script: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/security.yml b/.github/workflows/security.yml
index 666c602..ba273f5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/security.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/security.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
     - name: checkout repo content
-      uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
         fetch-depth: 1
     - name: setup ruby
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: check lock
       run: '[ -f "Gemfile.lock" ] && echo "package lock file exists, skipping" || bundle lock'
     # install java
-    - uses: actions/setup-java@v3
+    - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
       with:
         distribution: 'temurin' # See 'Supported distributions' for available options
         java-version: '17'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/testing.yml b/.github/workflows/testing.yml
index 105fc8e..1f2f421 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/testing.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/testing.yml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ jobs:
         ruby-version:
           - 'jruby-9.4.3.0'
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - name: Set up Ruby
       uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
       with:
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ jobs:
         ruby-version:
           - 'jruby-9.4.3.0'
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - name: Set up Ruby
       uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
       with:
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8ecfd70..ed1eead 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [1.3.0](https://github.com/puppetlabs/vmpooler-provider-gce/tree/1.3.0) (2023-08-18)
+
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/puppetlabs/vmpooler-provider-gce/compare/1.2.0...1.3.0)
+
+**Implemented enhancements:**
+
+- \(POD-10\) Log reason for failed VM checks. [\#33](https://github.com/puppetlabs/vmpooler-provider-gce/pull/33) ([isaac-hammes](https://github.com/isaac-hammes))
+
 ## [1.2.0](https://github.com/puppetlabs/vmpooler-provider-gce/tree/1.2.0) (2023-08-10)
 
 [Full Changelog](https://github.com/puppetlabs/vmpooler-provider-gce/compare/1.1.0...1.2.0)
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index fb4fc56..749532c 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
-    vmpooler-provider-gce (1.2.0)
+    vmpooler-provider-gce (1.3.0)
       google-apis-compute_v1 (~> 0.14)
       googleauth (>= 0.16.2, < 1.4.0)
       vmpooler (~> 3.0)
diff --git a/lib/vmpooler-provider-gce/version.rb b/lib/vmpooler-provider-gce/version.rb
index e9c952d..b97bce2 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler-provider-gce/version.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler-provider-gce/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module VmpoolerProviderGce
-  VERSION = '1.2.0'
+  VERSION = '1.3.0'
 end
diff --git a/lib/vmpooler/providers/gce.rb b/lib/vmpooler/providers/gce.rb
index e7d838d..747872e 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler/providers/gce.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler/providers/gce.rb
@@ -460,15 +460,17 @@ module Vmpooler
           true
         end
 
-        def vm_ready?(pool_name, vm_name)
+        def vm_ready?(pool_name, vm_name, redis)
           debug_logger('vm_ready?')
           begin
             # TODO: we could use a healthcheck resource attached to instance
             domain = domain(pool_name)
             open_socket(vm_name, domain)
-          rescue StandardError => _e
+          rescue StandardError => e
+            redis.hset("vmpooler__vm__#{vm_name}", 'open_socket_error', e.to_s)
             return false
           end
+          redis.hdel("vmpooler__vm__#{vm_name}", 'open_socket_error')
           true
         end
 
diff --git a/release-prep b/release-prep
index ca8f2f7..502ad2b 100755
--- a/release-prep
+++ b/release-prep
@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@
 # The container tag should closely match what is used in `docker/Dockerfile` in vmpooler-deployment
 #
 # Update Gemfile.lock
-docker run -it --rm \
+docker run -t --rm \
   -v $(pwd):/app \
   jruby:9.4.3.0-jdk11 \
   /bin/bash -c 'apt-get update -qq && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends git make netbase && cd /app && gem install bundler && bundle install --jobs 3; echo "LOCK_FILE_UPDATE_EXIT_CODE=$?"'
 
 # Update Changelog
-docker run -it --rm -e CHANGELOG_GITHUB_TOKEN -v $(pwd):/usr/local/src/your-app \
+docker run -t --rm -e CHANGELOG_GITHUB_TOKEN -v $(pwd):/usr/local/src/your-app \
   githubchangeloggenerator/github-changelog-generator:1.16.2 \
   github_changelog_generator --future-release $(grep VERSION lib/vmpooler-provider-gce/version.rb |rev |cut -d "'" -f2 |rev)
 
diff --git a/spec/unit/providers/gce_spec.rb b/spec/unit/providers/gce_spec.rb
index 614a23b..1e219b9 100644
--- a/spec/unit/providers/gce_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/providers/gce_spec.rb
@@ -361,7 +361,9 @@ EOT
       end
 
       it 'should return true' do
-        expect(subject.vm_ready?(poolname, vmname)).to be true
+        redis_connection_pool.with_metrics do |redis|
+          expect(subject.vm_ready?(poolname, vmname, redis)).to be true
+        end
       end
     end
 
@@ -371,7 +373,9 @@ EOT
       end
 
       it 'should return false' do
-        expect(subject.vm_ready?(poolname, vmname)).to be false
+        redis_connection_pool.with_metrics do |redis|
+          expect(subject.vm_ready?(poolname, vmname, redis)).to be false
+        end
       end
     end
   end