diff --git a/.github/workflows/stale.yml b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
index 14d3a0c1..ddae2323 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/stale.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
@@ -22,5 +22,7 @@ jobs:
           close-pr-message: "This PR was closed because it has been stalled for 7 days with no activity."
           stale-issue-label: "stale"
           stale-pr-label: "stale"
+          exempt-all-issue-milestones: true
+          exempt-issue-labels: "backlog, backlog candidate, epic"
           exempt-all-pr-assignees: true
           operations-per-run: 100