diff --git a/.mergify.yml b/.mergify.yml
index 13f082d25..857b1283e 100644
--- a/.mergify.yml
+++ b/.mergify.yml
@@ -28,6 +28,20 @@ pull_request_rules:
         strict: false
       dismiss_reviews: {}
       delete_head_branch: {}
+  # release-1.3 branch
+  - name: automerge backport release-1.3
+    conditions:
+      - author=mergify[bot]
+      - base=release-1.3
+      - label!=do-not-merge
+      - 'status-success=DCO'
+      - 'status-success=continuous-integration/jenkins/pr-head'
+    actions:
+      merge:
+        method: merge
+        strict: false
+      dismiss_reviews: {}
+      delete_head_branch: {}
   # Trigger backport PRs based on label
   # release-1.1 branch
   - actions:
@@ -44,4 +58,12 @@ pull_request_rules:
         - release-1.2
     conditions:
       - label=backport-release-1.2
-    name: backport release-1.2
\ No newline at end of file
+    name: backport release-1.2
+  # release-1.3 branch
+  - actions:
+      backport:
+        branches:
+        - release-1.3
+    conditions:
+      - label=backport-release-1.3
+    name: backport release-1.3
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 57dffa54c..2c53e328f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -188,7 +188,6 @@ Targets:
     test-integration   Runs integration tests.
     mod.check          Check / Tidy current modules.
     mod.update         Update all modules.
-    vendor.check       Checks if vendor dependencies changed.
     vet                Runs lint checks on go sources.
 
 Options: