diff --git a/.drone/drone.jsonnet b/.drone/drone.jsonnet
index d08eecdeae11d..9d0589fe22a8e 100644
--- a/.drone/drone.jsonnet
+++ b/.drone/drone.jsonnet
@@ -186,7 +186,6 @@ local querytee() = pipeline('querytee-amd64') + arch_image('amd64', 'main') {
       },
     },
   ],
-  depends_on: ['check'],
 };
 
 local fluentbit(arch) = pipeline('fluent-bit-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
@@ -200,7 +199,6 @@ local fluentbit(arch) = pipeline('fluent-bit-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
       },
     },
   ],
-  depends_on: ['check'],
 };
 
 local fluentd() = pipeline('fluentd-amd64') + arch_image('amd64', 'main') {
@@ -214,7 +212,6 @@ local fluentd() = pipeline('fluentd-amd64') + arch_image('amd64', 'main') {
       },
     },
   ],
-  depends_on: ['check'],
 };
 
 local logstash() = pipeline('logstash-amd64') + arch_image('amd64', 'main') {
@@ -228,7 +225,6 @@ local logstash() = pipeline('logstash-amd64') + arch_image('amd64', 'main') {
       },
     },
   ],
-  depends_on: ['check'],
 };
 
 local promtail(arch) = pipeline('promtail-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
@@ -240,7 +236,6 @@ local promtail(arch) = pipeline('promtail-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
       settings+: {},
     },
   ],
-  depends_on: ['check'],
 };
 
 local lambda_promtail(arch) = pipeline('lambda-promtail-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
@@ -255,7 +250,6 @@ local lambda_promtail(arch) = pipeline('lambda-promtail-' + arch) + arch_image(a
       settings+: {},
     },
   ],
-  depends_on: ['check'],
 };
 
 local lokioperator(arch) = pipeline('lokioperator-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
@@ -269,7 +263,6 @@ local lokioperator(arch) = pipeline('lokioperator-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
       settings+: {},
     },
   ],
-  depends_on: ['check'],
 };
 
 local logql_analyzer() = pipeline('logql-analyzer') + arch_image('amd64') {
@@ -283,7 +276,6 @@ local logql_analyzer() = pipeline('logql-analyzer') + arch_image('amd64') {
       },
     },
   ],
-  depends_on: ['check'],
 };
 
 local multiarch_image(arch) = pipeline('docker-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
@@ -296,7 +288,6 @@ local multiarch_image(arch) = pipeline('docker-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
     }
     for app in apps
   ],
-  depends_on: ['check'],
 };
 
 local manifest(apps) = pipeline('manifest') {
@@ -483,36 +474,6 @@ local build_image_tag = '0.33.0';
       },
     ],
   },
-  pipeline('check') {
-    workspace: {
-      base: '/src',
-      path: 'loki',
-    },
-    steps: [
-      make('check-generated-files', container=false) { depends_on: ['clone'] },
-      run('clone-target-branch', commands=[
-        'cd ..',
-        'echo "cloning "$DRONE_TARGET_BRANCH ',
-        'git clone -b $DRONE_TARGET_BRANCH $CI_REPO_REMOTE loki-target-branch',
-        'cd -',
-      ]) { depends_on: ['clone'], when: onPRs },
-      make('check-doc', container=false) { depends_on: ['loki'] },
-      make('loki', container=false) { depends_on: ['check-generated-files'] },
-      make('check-format', container=false, args=[
-        'GIT_TARGET_BRANCH="$DRONE_TARGET_BRANCH"',
-      ]) { depends_on: ['loki'], when: onPRs },
-      make('validate-dev-cluster-config', container=false) { depends_on: ['validate-example-configs'] },
-      {
-        name: 'build-docs-website',
-        image: 'grafana/docs-base:e6ef023f8b8',
-        commands: [
-          'mkdir -p /hugo/content/docs/loki/latest',
-          'cp -r docs/sources/* /hugo/content/docs/loki/latest/',
-          'cd /hugo && make prod',
-        ],
-      },
-    ],
-  },
   pipeline('mixins') {
     workspace: {
       base: '/src',
diff --git a/.drone/drone.yml b/.drone/drone.yml
index 6588ab3d5ff1d..ccac7a2c6ce51 100644
--- a/.drone/drone.yml
+++ b/.drone/drone.yml
@@ -132,76 +132,6 @@ workspace:
   path: loki
 ---
 kind: pipeline
-name: check
-steps:
-- commands:
-  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false check-generated-files
-  depends_on:
-  - clone
-  environment: {}
-  image: grafana/loki-build-image:0.33.0
-  name: check-generated-files
-- commands:
-  - cd ..
-  - 'echo "cloning "$DRONE_TARGET_BRANCH '
-  - git clone -b $DRONE_TARGET_BRANCH $CI_REPO_REMOTE loki-target-branch
-  - cd -
-  depends_on:
-  - clone
-  environment: {}
-  image: grafana/loki-build-image:0.33.0
-  name: clone-target-branch
-  when:
-    event:
-    - pull_request
-- commands:
-  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false check-doc
-  depends_on:
-  - loki
-  environment: {}
-  image: grafana/loki-build-image:0.33.0
-  name: check-doc
-- commands:
-  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false loki
-  depends_on:
-  - check-generated-files
-  environment: {}
-  image: grafana/loki-build-image:0.33.0
-  name: loki
-- commands:
-  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false check-format GIT_TARGET_BRANCH="$DRONE_TARGET_BRANCH"
-  depends_on:
-  - loki
-  environment: {}
-  image: grafana/loki-build-image:0.33.0
-  name: check-format
-  when:
-    event:
-    - pull_request
-- commands:
-  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false validate-dev-cluster-config
-  depends_on:
-  - validate-example-configs
-  environment: {}
-  image: grafana/loki-build-image:0.33.0
-  name: validate-dev-cluster-config
-- commands:
-  - mkdir -p /hugo/content/docs/loki/latest
-  - cp -r docs/sources/* /hugo/content/docs/loki/latest/
-  - cd /hugo && make prod
-  image: grafana/docs-base:e6ef023f8b8
-  name: build-docs-website
-trigger:
-  ref:
-  - refs/heads/main
-  - refs/heads/k???
-  - refs/tags/v*
-  - refs/pull/*/head
-workspace:
-  base: /src
-  path: loki
----
-kind: pipeline
 name: mixins
 steps:
 - commands:
@@ -253,8 +183,6 @@ workspace:
   base: /src
   path: loki
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: docker-amd64
 platform:
@@ -338,8 +266,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: docker-arm64
 platform:
@@ -423,8 +349,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: docker-arm
 platform:
@@ -508,8 +432,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: promtail-amd64
 platform:
@@ -545,8 +467,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: promtail-arm64
 platform:
@@ -582,8 +502,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: promtail-arm
 platform:
@@ -619,8 +537,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: lokioperator-amd64
 platform:
@@ -659,8 +575,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/operator/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: lokioperator-arm64
 platform:
@@ -699,8 +613,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/operator/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: lokioperator-arm
 platform:
@@ -739,8 +651,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/operator/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: fluent-bit-amd64
 platform:
@@ -776,8 +686,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: fluent-bit-arm64
 platform:
@@ -813,8 +721,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: fluent-bit-arm
 platform:
@@ -850,8 +756,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: fluentd-amd64
 platform:
@@ -888,8 +792,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: logstash-amd64
 platform:
@@ -926,8 +828,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: querytee-amd64
 platform:
@@ -1191,8 +1091,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: logql-analyzer
 platform:
@@ -1261,8 +1159,6 @@ volumes:
     path: /var/run/docker.sock
   name: docker
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: lambda-promtail-amd64
 platform:
@@ -1311,8 +1207,6 @@ trigger:
   - refs/tags/v*
   - refs/pull/*/head
 ---
-depends_on:
-- check
 kind: pipeline
 name: lambda-promtail-arm64
 platform:
@@ -1468,6 +1362,6 @@ kind: secret
 name: gpg_private_key
 ---
 kind: signature
-hmac: 66d587f7e6384dfb9439b147269b517b93fe6752d9667a4a61f7a3b8290b0c3f
+hmac: 32b44aecaad0258ed9494225595e1016a56bea960bcd0b15b2db3449bed957e0
 
 ...
diff --git a/.github/jsonnetfile.lock.json b/.github/jsonnetfile.lock.json
index acbd1878d016f..3d8569760f69f 100644
--- a/.github/jsonnetfile.lock.json
+++ b/.github/jsonnetfile.lock.json
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
           "subdir": "workflows"
         }
       },
-      "version": "0441bf5cbf5955142e942cbbbdf68fca0faa4c4a",
-      "sum": "pUHtz3SQ7p22Y9vkjxCsnNr57N+FDfubpGgDIe+Mzaw="
+      "version": "40ee4940603c906ce4af96c898dd4a5cd0fca2d5",
+      "sum": "jvOGy42cFuFi3CxcdXyOm8Xju2pjRPuevtarfNJFqpc="
     }
   ],
   "legacyImports": false
diff --git a/.github/vendor/github.com/grafana/loki-release/workflows/build.libsonnet b/.github/vendor/github.com/grafana/loki-release/workflows/build.libsonnet
index 1196b8e465284..e5d06977e0bf3 100644
--- a/.github/vendor/github.com/grafana/loki-release/workflows/build.libsonnet
+++ b/.github/vendor/github.com/grafana/loki-release/workflows/build.libsonnet
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ local releaseLibStep = common.releaseLibStep;
       |||),
 
       step.new('Build and export', 'docker/build-push-action@v5')
-      + step.withTimeoutMinutes(15)
+      + step.withTimeoutMinutes(20)
       + step.withIf('${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}')
       + step.with({
         context: context,
diff --git a/.github/vendor/github.com/grafana/loki-release/workflows/validate.libsonnet b/.github/vendor/github.com/grafana/loki-release/workflows/validate.libsonnet
index 1df1e382ca630..477e077d85547 100644
--- a/.github/vendor/github.com/grafana/loki-release/workflows/validate.libsonnet
+++ b/.github/vendor/github.com/grafana/loki-release/workflows/validate.libsonnet
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ function(buildImage) {
       validationMakeStep('lint', 'lint'),
       validationMakeStep('lint jsonnet', 'lint-jsonnet'),
       validationMakeStep('lint scripts', 'lint-scripts'),
+      validationMakeStep('format', 'check-format'),
     ]) + {
       steps+: [
         step.new('golangci-lint', 'golangci/golangci-lint-action@08e2f20817b15149a52b5b3ebe7de50aff2ba8c5')
@@ -84,9 +85,30 @@ function(buildImage) {
       validationMakeStep('check mod', 'check-mod'),
       validationMakeStep('check docs', 'check-doc'),
       validationMakeStep('validate example configs', 'validate-example-configs'),
+      validationMakeStep('validate dev cluster config', 'validate-dev-cluster-config'),
       validationMakeStep('check example config docs', 'check-example-config-doc'),
       validationMakeStep('check helm reference doc', 'documentation-helm-reference-check'),
       validationMakeStep('check drone drift', 'check-drone-drift'),
-    ])
+    ]) + {
+      steps+: [
+        step.new('build docs website')
+        + step.withIf('${{ !fromJSON(env.SKIP_VALIDATION) }}')
+        + step.withRun(|||
+          cat <<EOF | docker run \
+            --interactive \
+            --env BUILD_IN_CONTAINER \
+            --env DRONE_TAG \
+            --env IMAGE_TAG \
+            --volume .:/src/loki \
+            --workdir /src/loki \
+            --entrypoint /bin/sh "%s"
+            git config --global --add safe.directory /src/loki
+            mkdir -p /hugo/content/docs/loki/latest
+            cp -r docs/sources/* /hugo/content/docs/loki/latest/
+            cd /hugo && make prod
+          EOF
+        ||| % 'grafana/docs-base:e6ef023f8b8'),
+      ],
+    }
   ),
 }
diff --git a/.github/workflows/minor-release-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/minor-release-pr.yml
index bc2d3b524859f..bf360af09220f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/minor-release-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/minor-release-pr.yml
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release/operator"
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/patch-release-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/patch-release-pr.yml
index 5ff3e59263597..3866679f66564 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/patch-release-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/patch-release-pr.yml
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release/operator"
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: "release"
     - if: "${{ fromJSON(needs.version.outputs.pr_created) }}"
       name: "Build and export"
-      timeout-minutes: 15
+      timeout-minutes: 20
       uses: "docker/build-push-action@v5"
       with:
         context: "release"