diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/auto-release.yaml
index 2b6cdbc97..76e6404b4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/auto-release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-release.yaml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
           }
 
           // only approve PRs like "chore: release <release version>"
-          if ( !context.payload.pull_request.title.startsWith("chore: release") ) {
+          if ( !context.payload.pull_request.title.startsWith("chore(master): release") ) {
             return;
           }
 
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
index d64569567..261eeb9e9 100644
--- a/LICENSE
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
                                  Apache License
                            Version 2.0, January 2004
                         http://www.apache.org/licenses/
diff --git a/synth.metadata b/synth.metadata
index 9707eb1be..51f525482 100644
--- a/synth.metadata
+++ b/synth.metadata
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
       "git": {
         "name": ".",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/java-pubsublite.git",
-        "sha": "72c0b411681198031bead164ba616ea8c12777e7"
+        "sha": "fe29e70725910d9d4e0760233a191b030b51c806"
       }
     },
     {
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
       "git": {
         "name": "synthtool",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/synthtool.git",
-        "sha": "e935c9ecb47da0f2e054f5f1845f7cf7c95fa625"
+        "sha": "27b2d4f4674840628d0b75c5941e89c12af4764f"
       }
     }
   ],