diff --git a/.github/workflows/lib/approval.test.js b/.github/workflows/lib/approval.test.js
index 74494ed..83eb4ac 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lib/approval.test.js
+++ b/.github/workflows/lib/approval.test.js
@@ -603,4 +603,90 @@ describe("ApprovalManager", () => {
       expect(approvalManager.maintainerApprovals.has("user1")).toBe(false);
     });
   });
+
+  describe("rejection automation", () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      mockGithub.rest.issues.get.mockResolvedValue({
+        data: { labels: [] },
+      });
+    });
+
+    it("should set status to rejected if 2 core rejections", async () => {
+      approvalManager.coreRejections = new Set(["core1", "core2"]);
+      approvalManager.maintainerRejections = new Set();
+      // Simulate status logic from workflow
+      let status;
+      if (
+        approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 2 ||
+        (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 1 && approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size >= 1)
+      ) {
+        status = "❌ Rejected";
+      } else {
+        status = "🕐 Pending";
+      }
+      expect(status).toBe("❌ Rejected");
+      await approvalManager.updateIssueStatus(status);
+      expect(mockGithub.rest.issues.update).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        owner: mockOrg,
+        repo: mockRepo,
+        issue_number: mockIssueNumber,
+        labels: ["rejected"].map((l) => (l === "rejected" ? "turned-down" : l)), // label mapping
+      });
+    });
+
+    it("should set status to rejected if 1 core + 1 maintainer rejection", async () => {
+      approvalManager.coreRejections = new Set(["core1"]);
+      approvalManager.maintainerRejections = new Set(["maintainer1"]);
+      let status;
+      if (
+        approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 2 ||
+        (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 1 && approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size >= 1)
+      ) {
+        status = "❌ Rejected";
+      } else {
+        status = "🕐 Pending";
+      }
+      expect(status).toBe("❌ Rejected");
+      await approvalManager.updateIssueStatus(status);
+      expect(mockGithub.rest.issues.update).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        owner: mockOrg,
+        repo: mockRepo,
+        issue_number: mockIssueNumber,
+        labels: ["rejected"].map((l) => (l === "rejected" ? "turned-down" : l)),
+      });
+    });
+
+    it("should not set status to rejected if only 1 core rejection", async () => {
+      approvalManager.coreRejections = new Set(["core1"]);
+      approvalManager.maintainerRejections = new Set();
+      let status;
+      if (
+        approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 2 ||
+        (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 1 && approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size >= 1)
+      ) {
+        status = "❌ Rejected";
+      } else {
+        status = "🕐 Pending";
+      }
+      expect(status).toBe("🕐 Pending");
+    });
+
+    it("should stay pending if 2 rejections but also 1 acceptance", async () => {
+      approvalManager.coreRejections = new Set(["core1", "core2"]);
+      approvalManager.maintainerRejections = new Set();
+      approvalManager.coreApprovals = new Set(["core3"]);
+      let status;
+      if (
+        (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 2 ||
+          (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 1 && approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size >= 1)) &&
+        approvalManager.coreApprovals.size === 0 &&
+        approvalManager.maintainerApprovals.size === 0
+      ) {
+        status = "❌ Rejected";
+      } else {
+        status = "🕐 Pending";
+      }
+      expect(status).toBe("🕐 Pending");
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lib/workflow-integration.test.js b/.github/workflows/lib/workflow-integration.test.js
index 953d615..40f6905 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lib/workflow-integration.test.js
+++ b/.github/workflows/lib/workflow-integration.test.js
@@ -375,4 +375,84 @@ describe("Workflow Integration Tests", () => {
       }
     });
   });
+
+  describe("Pipeline Proposal Workflow - Rejection Automation", () => {
+    let approvalManager;
+    const mockOrg = "nf-core";
+    const mockRepo = "proposals";
+    const mockIssueNumber = 99;
+
+    beforeEach(async () => {
+      mockGithub.request
+        .mockResolvedValueOnce({ data: [{ login: "core1" }, { login: "core2" }] })
+        .mockResolvedValueOnce({ data: [{ login: "maintainer1" }] });
+      mockGithub.paginate.mockResolvedValue([]);
+      mockGithub.rest.issues.get.mockResolvedValue({ data: { labels: [] } });
+      approvalManager = await new ApprovalManager(mockGithub, mockOrg, mockRepo, mockIssueNumber).initialize();
+    });
+
+    it("should set status to rejected if 2 core rejections", async () => {
+      approvalManager.coreRejections = new Set(["core1", "core2"]);
+      approvalManager.maintainerRejections = new Set();
+      let status;
+      if (
+        approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 2 ||
+        (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 1 && approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size >= 1)
+      ) {
+        status = "❌ Rejected";
+      } else {
+        status = "🕐 Pending";
+      }
+      expect(status).toBe("❌ Rejected");
+    });
+
+    it("should set status to rejected if 1 core + 1 maintainer rejection", async () => {
+      approvalManager.coreRejections = new Set(["core1"]);
+      approvalManager.maintainerRejections = new Set(["maintainer1"]);
+      let status;
+      if (
+        approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 2 ||
+        (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 1 && approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size >= 1)
+      ) {
+        status = "❌ Rejected";
+      } else {
+        status = "🕐 Pending";
+      }
+      expect(status).toBe("❌ Rejected");
+    });
+
+    it("should not set status to rejected if only 1 core rejection", async () => {
+      approvalManager.coreRejections = new Set(["core1"]);
+      approvalManager.maintainerRejections = new Set();
+      let status;
+      if (
+        approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 2 ||
+        (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 1 && approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size >= 1)
+      ) {
+        status = "❌ Rejected";
+      } else {
+        status = "🕐 Pending";
+      }
+      expect(status).toBe("🕐 Pending");
+    });
+
+    it("should stay pending if 2 rejections but also 1 approval", async () => {
+      approvalManager.coreRejections = new Set(["core1", "core2"]);
+      approvalManager.maintainerRejections = new Set();
+      approvalManager.coreApprovals = new Set(["core3"]);
+      approvalManager.maintainerApprovals = new Set();
+      let status;
+      if (
+        (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 2 ||
+          (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 1 && approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size >= 1)) &&
+        approvalManager.coreApprovals.size === 0 &&
+        approvalManager.maintainerApprovals.size === 0
+      ) {
+        status = "❌ Rejected";
+      } else {
+        status = "🕐 Pending";
+      }
+      expect(status).toBe("🕐 Pending");
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pipeline_proposals.yml b/.github/workflows/pipeline_proposals.yml
index fb8e629..5c453b2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pipeline_proposals.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pipeline_proposals.yml
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ jobs:
                 if (maintainerApprovers.length > 0) {
                   body += `| ✅ Approved (Maintainer) | ${approvalManager.formatUserList(maintainerApprovers)} |\n`;
                 }
-                if (rejecters.length > 0) {
+                if (rejecters.length > 1 && coreApprovers.length === 0 && maintainerApprovers.length === 0) {
                   body += `| ❌ Rejected | ${approvalManager.formatUserList(rejecters)} |\n`;
                 }
                 if (awaitingCore.length > 0) {
@@ -92,13 +92,21 @@ jobs:
 
 
 
-            // Determine status
-            let status = '🕐 Pending';
 
-            if (context.eventName === 'issues' && context.payload.action === 'closed' && context.payload.issue.state_reason === 'not_planned' && (approvalManager.coreRejections.size > 0 || approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size > 0)) {
+            // Determine status
+            let status;
+
+            // If rejection threshold is reached, set status to Rejected
+            if (
+              (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 2) ||
+              (approvalManager.coreRejections.size >= 1 && approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size >= 1) ||
+              (context.eventName === 'issues' && context.payload.action === 'closed' && context.payload.issue.state_reason === 'not_planned' && (approvalManager.coreRejections.size > 0 || approvalManager.maintainerRejections.size > 0))
+            ) {
               status = '❌ Rejected';
             } else if ((approvalManager.coreApprovals.size >= 2) || (approvalManager.coreApprovals.size >= 1 && approvalManager.maintainerApprovals.size >= 1)) {
               status = '✅ Approved';
+            } else {
+              status = '🕐 Pending';
             }
 
             const statusBody = generateStatusBody(status);