diff --git a/.github/pull_request_template.md b/.github/pull_request_template.md
index b6cce5a14..d4d54adac 100644
--- a/.github/pull_request_template.md
+++ b/.github/pull_request_template.md
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ Relates to #
 - [ ] New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality)
 - [ ] Other (security config, docs update, etc)
 
+## Steps to Validate
+- If this PR introduces new functionality to UDS Core or addresses a bug, please document the steps to test the changes.
+
 ## Checklist before merging
 
 - [ ] Test, docs, adr added or updated as needed
diff --git a/src/grafana/tasks.yaml b/src/grafana/tasks.yaml
index 3da5cbba5..2b34e1bcf 100644
--- a/src/grafana/tasks.yaml
+++ b/src/grafana/tasks.yaml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ tasks:
       - description: E2E Test for Grafana, optionally set FULL_CORE=true to test integrations with Loki
         cmd: |
           # renovate: datasource=docker depName=mcr.microsoft.com/playwright versioning=docker
-          docker run --rm --ipc=host -e FULL_CORE="${FULL_CORE}" --net=host --mount type=bind,source="$(pwd)",target=/app mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.49.0-noble sh -c " \
+          docker run --rm --ipc=host -e FULL_CORE="${FULL_CORE}" --net=host --mount type=bind,source="$(pwd)",target=/app mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.49.1-noble sh -c " \
             cd app && \
             npm ci && \
             npx playwright test grafana.test.ts \
diff --git a/src/neuvector/tasks.yaml b/src/neuvector/tasks.yaml
index 2f66394ec..e325f463f 100644
--- a/src/neuvector/tasks.yaml
+++ b/src/neuvector/tasks.yaml
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ tasks:
       - description: E2E Test for NeuVector
         cmd: |
           # renovate: datasource=docker depName=mcr.microsoft.com/playwright versioning=docker
-          docker run --rm --ipc=host -e FULL_CORE="${FULL_CORE}" --net=host --mount type=bind,source="$(pwd)",target=/app mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.49.0-noble sh -c " \
+          docker run --rm --ipc=host -e FULL_CORE="${FULL_CORE}" --net=host --mount type=bind,source="$(pwd)",target=/app mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.49.1-noble sh -c " \
             cd app && \
             npm ci && \
             npx playwright test neuvector.test.ts \
diff --git a/tasks/test.yaml b/tasks/test.yaml
index 033db9d5e..f9dc8c918 100644
--- a/tasks/test.yaml
+++ b/tasks/test.yaml
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ tasks:
         dir: test/playwright
         cmd: |
           # renovate: datasource=docker depName=mcr.microsoft.com/playwright versioning=docker
-          docker run --rm --ipc=host --net=host -e FULL_CORE="true" --mount type=bind,source="$(pwd)",target=/app mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.49.0-noble sh -c " \
+          docker run --rm --ipc=host --net=host -e FULL_CORE="true" --mount type=bind,source="$(pwd)",target=/app mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.49.1-noble sh -c " \
             cd app && \
             npm ci && \
             npx playwright test \
diff --git a/test/playwright/package-lock.json b/test/playwright/package-lock.json
index 66310e7fa..631090ef0 100644
--- a/test/playwright/package-lock.json
+++ b/test/playwright/package-lock.json
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@playwright/test": {
-      "version": "1.49.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@playwright/test/-/test-1.49.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-DMulbwQURa8rNIQrf94+jPJQ4FmOVdpE5ZppRNvWVjvhC+6sOeo28r8MgIpQRYouXRtt/FCCXU7zn20jnHR4Qw==",
+      "version": "1.49.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@playwright/test/-/test-1.49.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Ky+BVzPz8pL6PQxHqNRW1k3mIyv933LML7HktS8uik0bUXNCdPhoS/kLihiO1tMf/egaJb4IutXd7UywvXEW+g==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "dependencies": {
-        "playwright": "1.49.0"
+        "playwright": "1.49.1"
       },
       "bin": {
         "playwright": "cli.js"
@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/playwright": {
-      "version": "1.49.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/playwright/-/playwright-1.49.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-eKpmys0UFDnfNb3vfsf8Vx2LEOtflgRebl0Im2eQQnYMA4Aqd+Zw8bEOB+7ZKvN76901mRnqdsiOGKxzVTbi7A==",
+      "version": "1.49.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/playwright/-/playwright-1.49.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-VYL8zLoNTBxVOrJBbDuRgDWa3i+mfQgDTrL8Ah9QXZ7ax4Dsj0MSq5bYgytRnDVVe+njoKnfsYkH3HzqVj5UZA==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "dependencies": {
-        "playwright-core": "1.49.0"
+        "playwright-core": "1.49.1"
       },
       "bin": {
         "playwright": "cli.js"
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/playwright-core": {
-      "version": "1.49.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/playwright-core/-/playwright-core-1.49.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-R+3KKTQF3npy5GTiKH/T+kdhoJfJojjHESR1YEWhYuEKRVfVaxH3+4+GvXE5xyCngCxhxnykk0Vlah9v8fs3jA==",
+      "version": "1.49.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/playwright-core/-/playwright-core-1.49.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-BzmpVcs4kE2CH15rWfzpjzVGhWERJfmnXmniSyKeRZUs9Ws65m+RGIi7mjJK/euCegfn3i7jvqWeWyHe9y3Vgg==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "bin": {