diff --git a/.github/actions/report-failure/action.yml b/.github/actions/report-failure/action.yml
index ef63226e162..d5f9b2bb0ea 100644
--- a/.github/actions/report-failure/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/report-failure/action.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ name: 'Report failure'
 description: >-
   Track failures of a scheduled workflow in a single open issue: open it on the
   first failure and comment on it for every subsequent one until someone closes
-  it. Run this as the last step with "if: failure()".
+  it. Run this as the last step with
+  "if: failure() && github.event_name == 'schedule'".
   Requires the calling job to have "permissions: issues: write".
 
 inputs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/bump-go-toolchain.yml b/.github/workflows/bump-go-toolchain.yml
index 9e3c0ee8602..d91cf354790 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bump-go-toolchain.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bump-go-toolchain.yml
@@ -130,8 +130,9 @@ jobs:
           git push origin "HEAD:$BRANCH"
 
       # A failed scheduled run is otherwise only visible in the Actions tab.
+      # Manual runs are watched by whoever started them.
       - name: Report failure
-        if: failure()
+        if: failure() && github.event_name == 'schedule'
         uses: ./.github/actions/report-failure
         with:
           label: bump-go-toolchain-failure
diff --git a/.github/workflows/bump-vuln-deps.yml b/.github/workflows/bump-vuln-deps.yml
index 829cf668a3e..c19d3dae28b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bump-vuln-deps.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bump-vuln-deps.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       dry_run:
-        description: "Compute and show the bump without creating a pull request or failure issue"
+        description: "Compute and show the bump without creating a pull request"
         type: boolean
         default: false
 
@@ -145,8 +145,9 @@ jobs:
           git push origin "HEAD:$BRANCH"
 
       # A failed scheduled run is otherwise only visible in the Actions tab.
+      # Manual runs are watched by whoever started them.
       - name: Report failure
-        if: failure() && !inputs.dry_run
+        if: failure() && github.event_name == 'schedule'
         uses: ./.github/actions/report-failure
         with:
           label: bump-vuln-deps-failure