diff --git a/.github/workflows/cd.yaml b/.github/workflows/cd.yaml
index 67e28fda0..d1dafdd09 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cd.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cd.yaml
@@ -1,25 +1,47 @@
+# Note: additional setup is required, see https://www.jenkins.io/redirect/continuous-delivery-of-plugins
+
 name: cd
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
   check_run:
     types:
-    - completed
+      - completed
+
 jobs:
-  deploy:
+  validate:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      should_release: ${{ steps.verify-ci-status.outputs.result == 'success' && steps.interesting-categories.outputs.interesting == 'true' }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Verify CI status
+        uses: jenkins-infra/verify-ci-status-action@v1.2.0
+        id: verify-ci-status
+        with:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          output_result: true
+
+      - name: Release Drafter
+        uses: release-drafter/release-drafter@v5
+        if: steps.verify-ci-status.outputs.result == 'success'
+        with:
+          name: next
+          tag: next
+          version: next
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Check interesting categories
+        uses: jenkins-infra/interesting-category-action@v1.0.0
+        id: interesting-categories
+        if: steps.verify-ci-status.outputs.result == 'success'
+        with:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+  release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: [validate]
+    if: needs.validate.outputs.should_release == 'true'
     steps:
-    - name: Verify CI status
-      uses: jenkins-infra/verify-ci-status-action@v1.2.0
-      with:
-        GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-    - name: Release Drafter
-      uses: release-drafter/release-drafter@v5.15.0
-      with:
-        name: next
-        tag: next
-        version: next
-      env:
-        GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
     - name: Check out
       uses: actions/checkout@v2.3.4
       with:
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index bf9b3a844..a0cc909af 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
   <properties>
     <changelist>999999-SNAPSHOT</changelist>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
-    <jetty.version>9.4.39.v20210325</jetty.version>
+    <jetty.version>9.4.40.v20210413</jetty.version>
     <hamcrest.version>2.2</hamcrest.version>
     <jmh.version>1.29</jmh.version>
     <java.level>8</java.level>
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
           <dependency>
             <groupId>org.apache.ant</groupId>
             <artifactId>ant</artifactId>
-            <version>1.10.9</version>
+            <version>1.10.10</version>
           </dependency>
         </dependencies>
       </plugin>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/RealJenkinsRule.java b/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/RealJenkinsRule.java
index a3a54d06b..88bcfce69 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/RealJenkinsRule.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/RealJenkinsRule.java
@@ -411,8 +411,14 @@ public void startJenkins() throws Throwable {
 
     public void stopJenkins() throws Throwable {
         endpoint("exit").openStream().close();
-        if (proc.waitFor() != 0) {
-            throw new AssertionError("nonzero exit code");
+        if (!proc.waitFor(60, TimeUnit.SECONDS) ) {
+            System.err.println("Jenkins failed to stop within 60 seconds, attempting to kill the Jenkins process");
+            proc.destroyForcibly();
+            throw new AssertionError("Jenkins failed to terminate within 60 seconds");
+        }
+        int exitValue = proc.exitValue();
+        if (exitValue != 0) {
+            throw new AssertionError("nonzero exit code: " + exitValue);
         }
         proc = null;
     }
@@ -500,7 +506,9 @@ public static void register() throws Exception {
             });
             JenkinsRule._configureUpdateCenter(j);
             System.err.println("RealJenkinsRule ready");
-            Timer.get().scheduleAtFixedRate(JenkinsRule::dumpThreads, 2, 2, TimeUnit.MINUTES);
+            if (!new DisableOnDebug(null).isDebugging()) {
+                Timer.get().scheduleAtFixedRate(JenkinsRule::dumpThreads, 2, 2, TimeUnit.MINUTES);
+            }
         }
         @Override public String getUrlName() {
             return "RealJenkinsRule";