diff --git a/.mergify.yml b/.mergify.yml
index 39c7828cb..822f3b491 100644
--- a/.mergify.yml
+++ b/.mergify.yml
@@ -27,3 +27,19 @@ pull_request_rules:
       backport:
         branches:
           - release-v1.2.0
+  # automerge backports if CI successfully ran
+  - name: automerge backport release-v1.2.0
+    conditions:
+      - author=mergify[bot]
+      - base=release-v1.2.0
+      - label!=DNM
+      - "#changes-requested-reviews-by=0"
+      - "#approved-reviews-by>=1"
+      - "status-success=continuous-integration/travis-ci/pr"
+    actions:
+      merge:
+        method: rebase
+        rebase_fallback: merge
+        strict: smart
+      dismiss_reviews: {}
+      delete_head_branch: {}
diff --git a/docs/development-guide.md b/docs/development-guide.md
index 83db19fa3..863a22279 100644
--- a/docs/development-guide.md
+++ b/docs/development-guide.md
@@ -90,9 +90,14 @@ need to be met before it will be merged:
 When the criteria are met, a project maintainer can merge your changes into
 the project's master branch.
 
-### Backporting a PR to release branch
+### Backport a Fix to a Release Branch
 
-If the PR needs to be backported to a release branch, a project maintainer adds
-`backport-to-release-vX.Y.Z` label to the PR. Mergify bot will take care of
-sending the backport PR to release branch once the PR is merged in the master
-branch.
+The flow for getting a fix into a release branch is:
+
+1. Open a PR to merge the changes to master following the process outlined above.
+1. Add the backport label to that PR such as `backport-to-release-vX.Y.Z`
+1. After your PR is merged to master, the mergify bot will automatically open a
+   PR with your commits backported to the release branch
+1. If there are any conflicts you will need to resolve them by pulling the
+   branch, resolving the conflicts and force push back the branch
+1. After the CI is green, the bot will automatically merge the backport PR.