diff --git a/scripts/dangerfile.ts b/scripts/dangerfile.ts
index 8d04e2c28472..ee47ecb0eb77 100644
--- a/scripts/dangerfile.ts
+++ b/scripts/dangerfile.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 import { fail, danger } from 'danger';
 import { execSync } from 'child_process';
 
-execSync('npm install lodash');
+execSync('npm install lodash ts-dedent');
 
 const flatten = require('lodash/flatten.js');
 const intersection = require('lodash/intersection.js');
 const isEmpty = require('lodash/isEmpty.js');
+const { dedent } = require('ts-dedent');
 
 const pkg = require('../code/package.json'); // eslint-disable-line import/newline-after-import
 const prLogConfig = pkg['pr-log'];
@@ -20,6 +21,23 @@ const Versions = {
 const branchVersion = Versions.MINOR;
 
 const checkRequiredLabels = (labels: string[]) => {
+  if (!labels.includes('patch')) {
+    fail(dedent`
+      A 'patch' label is required to merge during stabilization.
+
+      Patch PRs are small bug fixes, build updates, and documentation changes.
+      They do not include new features or more disruptive bugfixes.
+      
+      These changes will be first released on 7.1-alpha, then patched back to 'main'
+      after they have been verified to be correct and released as 7.0.x patch releases.
+
+      After the stabilization period ends (ETA 2023-04-12), the 'patch' label
+      will no longer be required to merge into next, and we will merge ALL accepted
+      PRs to 'next' and release them on 7.1-alpha. Patch PRs will be
+      patched back to 'main' and released in 7.0.x patch releases.
+    `);
+  }
+
   const forbiddenLabels = flatten([
     'ci: do not merge',
     'in progress',