diff --git a/.github/workflows/coverage.yml b/.github/workflows/coverage.yml
index 2c05d032..fdd2a838 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/coverage.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/coverage.yml
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ on:
       git_ref:
         type: string
         description: Git ref of the DuckDB python package
-        default: refs/heads/main
-        required: true
+        required: false
       duckdb_git_ref:
         type: string
         description: Git ref of DuckDB
+        required: false
       testsuite:
         type: choice
         description: Testsuite to run ('all' or 'fast')
@@ -23,9 +23,10 @@ on:
       git_ref:
         type: string
         description: Git ref of the DuckDB python package
-        required: true
+        required: false
       duckdb_git_ref:
         type: string
+        required: false
       testsuite:
         type: string
         description: Testsuite to run ('all' or 'fast')
diff --git a/.github/workflows/on_external_dispatch.yml b/.github/workflows/on_external_dispatch.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3604ce34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/on_external_dispatch.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+name: Builds triggered externally by DuckDB
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      duckdb-sha:
+        type: string
+        description: The DuckDB SHA to build against
+        required: true
+      force_version:
+        type: string
+        description: Force version (vX.Y.Z-((rc|post)N))
+        required: false
+      publish_to_pypi:
+        type: boolean
+        description: Publish packages to PyPI?
+        required: true
+        default: false
+
+jobs:
+  externally_triggered_build:
+    name: Build and test releases
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/pypi_packaging.yml
+    with:
+      minimal: false
+      testsuite: all
+      git_ref: ${{ github.ref }}
+      duckdb_git_ref: ${{ inputs.duckdb-sha }}
+      force_version: ${{ inputs.force_version }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/on_pr.yml b/.github/workflows/on_pr.yml
index 5b727166..81fd3247 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/on_pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/on_pr.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
+
   packaging_test:
     name: Build a minimal set of packages and run all tests on them
     # Skip packaging tests for draft PRs
@@ -27,13 +28,12 @@ jobs:
     with:
       minimal: true
       testsuite: all
-      git_ref: ${{ github.ref }}
-      duckdb_git_ref: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+      duckdb_git_ref: ${{ github.base_ref }}
 
   coverage_test:
     name: Run coverage tests
     if: ${{ github.event_name != 'pull_request' || github.event.pull_request.draft == false }}
     uses: ./.github/workflows/coverage.yml
     with:
-      git_ref: ${{ github.ref }}
+      duckdb_git_ref: ${{ github.base_ref }}
       testsuite: all
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pypi_packaging.yml b/.github/workflows/pypi_packaging.yml
index a7f659f9..ef4f527a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pypi_packaging.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pypi_packaging.yml
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ on:
       git_ref:
         type: string
         description: Git ref of the DuckDB python package
-        required: true
-        default: refs/heads/main
+        required: false
       duckdb_git_ref:
         type: string
         description: Git ref of DuckDB
@@ -44,11 +43,11 @@ on:
       git_ref:
         type: string
         description: Git ref of the DuckDB python package
-        required: true
+        required: false
       duckdb_git_ref:
         type: string
         description: Git ref of DuckDB
-        required: true
+        required: false
       force_version:
         description: Force version (vX.Y.Z-((rc|post)N))
         required: false