diff --git a/.github/workflows/handle_metadata.yml b/.github/workflows/handle_metadata.yml
index ba0be77b4..fad90f2ae 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/handle_metadata.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/handle_metadata.yml
@@ -76,126 +76,154 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           # split the comma-separated plugin-dir input into an array.
           IFS=',' read -ra PLUGIN_DIRS <<< "${{ inputs.plugin-dir }}"
-          pr_numbers=""
+          metadata_paths=""
+          db_flag=""
+          if [ "${{ inputs.db-connection }}" = "true" ]; then
+            db_flag="--db-connection"
+          fi
+
           for dir in "${PLUGIN_DIRS[@]}"; do
             echo "Processing metadata in directory: $dir" 1>&2
-            pr_num=$(python -m brainscore_core.plugin_management.handle_metadata --plugin-dir "$dir" --plugin-type "${{ inputs.plugin-type }}" --db-connection)
-            echo "PR number for $dir: $pr_num" 1>&2
-            # Append to the list (if multiple directories are provided)
-            if [ -z "$pr_numbers" ]; then
-              pr_numbers="$pr_num"
-            else
-              pr_numbers="$pr_numbers,$pr_num"
+            # Use --skip-pr to prevent individual PR creation; collect metadata paths instead
+            meta_path=$(python -m brainscore_core.plugin_management.handle_metadata --plugin-dir "$dir" --plugin-type "${{ inputs.plugin-type }}" $db_flag --skip-pr)
+            echo "Metadata path for $dir: $meta_path" 1>&2
+            if [ -n "$meta_path" ]; then
+              if [ -z "$metadata_paths" ]; then
+                metadata_paths="$meta_path"
+              else
+                metadata_paths="$metadata_paths,$meta_path"
               fi
+            fi
           done
-          echo "pr_numbers=${pr_numbers}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          
-      - name: Auto-approve PRs
-        if: steps.run_metadata.outputs.pr_numbers != ''
+          echo "metadata_paths=${metadata_paths}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Create Combined PR
+        id: create_pr
+        if: steps.run_metadata.outputs.metadata_paths != ''
         env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.APPROVAL_TOKEN }}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          IFS=',' read -ra PR_ARRAY <<< "${{ steps.run_metadata.outputs.pr_numbers }}"
-          for pr in "${PR_ARRAY[@]}"; do
-            echo "Auto-approving PR #$pr" 1>&2
-            gh pr review $pr --approve --repo ${{ github.repository }}
+          # Create a single branch and PR for all metadata files
+          branch_name="auto/metadata-update_$(date +%s)"
+          git checkout -b "$branch_name"
+
+          IFS=',' read -ra PATHS <<< "${{ steps.run_metadata.outputs.metadata_paths }}"
+          for path in "${PATHS[@]}"; do
+            echo "Adding metadata file: $path"
+            git add "$path"
           done
+
+          git commit -m "Auto-add/update metadata.yml for ${#PATHS[@]} plugin(s)"
+          git push origin "$branch_name"
+
+          pr_title="Auto-add/update metadata.yml for ${#PATHS[@]} plugin(s)"
+          pr_body="This PR was automatically generated to add or update metadata.yml files for the following plugins:\n\n$(printf '- %s\n' "${PATHS[@]}")"
+          gh pr create --title "$pr_title" --body "$pr_body" --label "automerge-metadata"
+
+          sleep 5
+          pr_number=$(gh pr view --json number --jq '.number')
+          echo "pr_number=${pr_number}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           
+      - name: Auto-approve PR
+        if: steps.create_pr.outputs.pr_number != ''
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.APPROVAL_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          pr=${{ steps.create_pr.outputs.pr_number }}
+          echo "Auto-approving PR #$pr"
+          gh pr review $pr --approve --repo ${{ github.repository }}
+
       - name: Wait for Status Checks
-        if: steps.run_metadata.outputs.pr_numbers != ''
+        if: steps.create_pr.outputs.pr_number != ''
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          IFS=',' read -ra PR_ARRAY <<< "${{ steps.run_metadata.outputs.pr_numbers }}"
+          pr=${{ steps.create_pr.outputs.pr_number }}
           TOKEN="${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
-          MAX_WAIT=600  # 10 minutes maximum wait time per PR
+          MAX_WAIT=600  # 10 minutes maximum wait time
           SLEEP_INTERVAL=10
-          
-          for pr in "${PR_ARRAY[@]}"; do
-            echo "Waiting for status checks on PR #$pr"
-            commit_sha=$(gh pr view $pr --json headRefOid --jq '.headRefOid')
-            echo "Commit SHA for PR #$pr is $commit_sha"
-            
-            # initial delay to allow statuses to start being reported
-            echo "Sleeping for initial delay (30s) to allow statuses to be reported..."
-            sleep 30
-            ELAPSED=30
-            
-            while true; do
-              echo "Polling statuses for PR #$pr (commit $commit_sha)"
-              statuses=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token $TOKEN" \
-                  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-                  "https://api.github.com/repos/${{ github.repository }}/commits/$commit_sha/statuses")
-              
-              # get required status checks for the branch
-              branch=$(gh pr view $pr --json headRefName --jq '.headRefName')
-              required_checks=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token $TOKEN" \
-                  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-                  "https://api.github.com/repos/${{ github.repository }}/branches/$branch/protection" | \
-                  jq -r '.required_status_checks.contexts[]' 2>/dev/null || echo "")
-              
-              # process the latest status for each context
-              latest_statuses=$(echo "$statuses" | jq '[group_by(.context)[] | max_by(.created_at)]')
-              
-              # count by state
-              pending=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq 'map(select(.state=="pending")) | length')
-              failures=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq 'map(select(.state=="failure" or .state=="error")) | length')
-              successes=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq 'map(select(.state=="success")) | length')
-              total=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq 'length')
-              
-              # list the current statuses for visibility
-              echo "$latest_statuses" | jq -r '.[] | "  - \(.context): \(.state)"' | sort
-              echo "Status summary: $pending pending, $failures failures, $successes successes (total: $total)"
-              
-              # check for required status checks
-              missing_required=0
-              if [ ! -z "$required_checks" ]; then
-                echo "Required status checks for branch $branch:"
-                echo "$required_checks" | while read -r check; do
-                  exists=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq --arg check "$check" 'map(select(.context == $check)) | length')
-                  if [ "$exists" -eq 0 ]; then
-                    echo "  - $check: MISSING"
-                    missing_required=1
-                  else
-                    state=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq -r --arg check "$check" '.[] | select(.context == $check) | .state')
-                    echo "  - $check: $state"
-                  fi
-                done
-              else
-                echo "No required status checks found for branch $branch"
-              fi
-              
-              if [ "$failures" -gt 0 ]; then
-                echo "❌ One or more status checks failed for PR #$pr - aborting"
-                exit 1
-              fi
-              
-              if [ "$pending" -eq 0 ] && [ "$missing_required" -eq 0 ]; then
-                echo "✅ All status checks passed for PR #$pr"
-                break
-              fi
-              
-              # sleep and check again
-              sleep $SLEEP_INTERVAL
-              ELAPSED=$((ELAPSED + SLEEP_INTERVAL))
-              if [ "$ELAPSED" -ge "$MAX_WAIT" ]; then
-                echo "⏱️ Timeout of $MAX_WAIT seconds reached for PR #$pr - aborting"
-                exit 1
-              fi
-              
-              echo "Waiting for status checks to complete (elapsed time: ${ELAPSED}s)..."
-            done
+
+          echo "Waiting for status checks on PR #$pr"
+          commit_sha=$(gh pr view $pr --json headRefOid --jq '.headRefOid')
+          echo "Commit SHA for PR #$pr is $commit_sha"
+
+          # initial delay to allow statuses to start being reported
+          echo "Sleeping for initial delay (30s) to allow statuses to be reported..."
+          sleep 30
+          ELAPSED=30
+
+          while true; do
+            echo "Polling statuses for PR #$pr (commit $commit_sha)"
+            statuses=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token $TOKEN" \
+                -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
+                "https://api.github.com/repos/${{ github.repository }}/commits/$commit_sha/statuses")
+
+            # get required status checks for the branch
+            branch=$(gh pr view $pr --json headRefName --jq '.headRefName')
+            required_checks=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token $TOKEN" \
+                -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
+                "https://api.github.com/repos/${{ github.repository }}/branches/$branch/protection" | \
+                jq -r '.required_status_checks.contexts[]' 2>/dev/null || echo "")
+
+            # process the latest status for each context
+            latest_statuses=$(echo "$statuses" | jq '[group_by(.context)[] | max_by(.created_at)]')
+
+            # count by state
+            pending=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq 'map(select(.state=="pending")) | length')
+            failures=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq 'map(select(.state=="failure" or .state=="error")) | length')
+            successes=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq 'map(select(.state=="success")) | length')
+            total=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq 'length')
+
+            # list the current statuses for visibility
+            echo "$latest_statuses" | jq -r '.[] | "  - \(.context): \(.state)"' | sort
+            echo "Status summary: $pending pending, $failures failures, $successes successes (total: $total)"
+
+            # check for required status checks
+            missing_required=0
+            if [ ! -z "$required_checks" ]; then
+              echo "Required status checks for branch $branch:"
+              echo "$required_checks" | while read -r check; do
+                exists=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq --arg check "$check" 'map(select(.context == $check)) | length')
+                if [ "$exists" -eq 0 ]; then
+                  echo "  - $check: MISSING"
+                  missing_required=1
+                else
+                  state=$(echo "$latest_statuses" | jq -r --arg check "$check" '.[] | select(.context == $check) | .state')
+                  echo "  - $check: $state"
+                fi
+              done
+            else
+              echo "No required status checks found for branch $branch"
+            fi
+
+            if [ "$failures" -gt 0 ]; then
+              echo "One or more status checks failed for PR #$pr - aborting"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+
+            if [ "$pending" -eq 0 ] && [ "$missing_required" -eq 0 ]; then
+              echo "All status checks passed for PR #$pr"
+              break
+            fi
+
+            # sleep and check again
+            sleep $SLEEP_INTERVAL
+            ELAPSED=$((ELAPSED + SLEEP_INTERVAL))
+            if [ "$ELAPSED" -ge "$MAX_WAIT" ]; then
+              echo "Timeout of $MAX_WAIT seconds reached for PR #$pr - aborting"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+
+            echo "Waiting for status checks to complete (elapsed time: ${ELAPSED}s)..."
           done
-          
-          echo "All PRs have passed their status checks!"
-          
-      - name: Merge PRs
-        if: steps.run_metadata.outputs.pr_numbers != ''
+
+          echo "PR has passed all status checks!"
+
+      - name: Merge PR
+        if: steps.create_pr.outputs.pr_number != ''
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          IFS=',' read -ra PR_ARRAY <<< "${{ steps.run_metadata.outputs.pr_numbers }}"
-          for pr in "${PR_ARRAY[@]}"; do
-            echo "Merging PR #$pr" 1>&2
-            gh pr merge $pr --squash --delete-branch --repo ${{ github.repository }}
-          done
+          pr=${{ steps.create_pr.outputs.pr_number }}
+          echo "Merging PR #$pr"
+          gh pr merge $pr --squash --delete-branch --repo ${{ github.repository }}