diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 3642ab23..d64fde70 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ updates:
   # open-PR limit applies to the fleet as a whole, rather than once per bot.
   # Grouping by dependency name updates a shared crate across every affected
   # project in one PR instead of opening one PR per Cargo.lock.
+    ignore:
+      # HOLD: github/codeql-action at v4.38.0 (SHA-pinned). v4.38.1 fails
+      # GitHub workflow-startup validation estate-wide (nexia-list#100;
+      # SHA-form re-bump bypassed versions-scoped ignores - nexia-list#101).
+      # Hold until upstream clears 4.38.1 or a new release verifies green.
+      - dependency-name: "github/codeql-action"
+
   - package-ecosystem: "cargo"
     directories:
       - "/robot-repo-automaton"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
index f0d92375..674b50a6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v7.0.1
 
       - name: Initialize CodeQL
-        uses: github/codeql-action/init@v4.38.1
+        uses: github/codeql-action/init@b96794f015dfd88f77b49b1c93e0fa7110f94c63 # v4.38.0 (4.38.1 blocked estate-wide; nexia-list#100)
         with:
           languages: ${{ matrix.language }}
           build-mode: ${{ matrix.build-mode }}
 
       - name: Perform CodeQL Analysis
-        uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@v4.38.1
+        uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@b96794f015dfd88f77b49b1c93e0fa7110f94c63 # v4.38.0 (4.38.1 blocked estate-wide; nexia-list#100)
         with:
           category: "/language:${{ matrix.language }}"