diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull_request_check.yaml b/.github/workflows/pull_request_check.yaml
index 0db026a028..025fb1f458 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull_request_check.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull_request_check.yaml
@@ -10,19 +10,5 @@ jobs:
       - uses: nearform/github-action-check-linked-issues@v1
         id: check-linked-issues
         with:
-          exclude-branches: "release_v/**, backport_v/**, main, latest-dep-update-/**, min-dep-update-/**, dependabot/**"
-          comment: false
+          exclude-branches: "release_v**, backport_v**, main, latest-dep-update-**, min-dep-update-**, dependabot/**"          
           github-token: ${{ secrets.REPO_SCOPED_TOKEN }}
-      - name: Print helpful error message
-        if: ${{ steps.check-linked-issues.outputs.linked_issues_count == '0' }}
-        run: |
-          msg="Linked issues: ${{ steps.check-linked-issues.outputs.linked_issues_count }}"
-          echo $msg 
-          echo $msg >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-          msg="Please link the pull request to the issue(s) it resolves."
-          echo $msg 
-          echo $msg >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-          msg="If you are not sure how to do this, please see https://docs.github.com/en/issues/tracking-your-work-with-issues/linking-a-pull-request-to-an-issue"
-          echo $msg
-          echo $msg >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-          exit 1
diff --git a/docs/source/release_notes.rst b/docs/source/release_notes.rst
index 625f428ac6..4ed07eae24 100644
--- a/docs/source/release_notes.rst
+++ b/docs/source/release_notes.rst
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Future Release
     * Testing Changes
        * Add GitHub Actions cache to speed up workflows (:pr:`2475`)
        * Fix latest dependency checker install command (:pr:`2476`)
-       * Add pull request check for linked issues to CI workflow (:pr:`2477`)
+       * Add pull request check for linked issues to CI workflow (:pr:`2477`, :pr:`2481`)
        * Remove make package from lint workflow (:pr:`2479`)
 
     Thanks to the following people for contributing to this release:
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 4fb9e0f3a2..b5634871fa 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ filterwarnings = [
 
 [tool.black]
 line-length = 88
+target-version = ["py310"]
 
 [tool.ruff]
 line-length = 88