diff --git a/.github/workflows/validation.yml b/.github/workflows/validation.yml
index 5f8851e91..4e3864b24 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validation.yml
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: |
-          pdm sync -dG operator-pipelines-dev
           pdm sync -dG tox
 
       - name: Run Tests
-        run: |
-          pdm run -v tox
+        run: tox
diff --git a/operator-pipeline-images/operatorcert/static_tests/community/bundle.py b/operator-pipeline-images/operatorcert/static_tests/community/bundle.py
index bf2ae05d8..c1783a1ac 100644
--- a/operator-pipeline-images/operatorcert/static_tests/community/bundle.py
+++ b/operator-pipeline-images/operatorcert/static_tests/community/bundle.py
@@ -145,7 +145,11 @@ def check_dangling_bundles(bundle: Bundle) -> Iterator[CheckResult]:
     for channel in sorted(all_channels):
         channel_bundles = operator.channel_bundles(channel)
         channel_head = operator.head(channel)
-        graph = operator.update_graph(channel)
+        try:
+            graph = operator.update_graph(channel)
+        except NotImplementedError as exc:
+            yield Fail(str(exc))
+            return
         dangling_bundles = {
             x for x in channel_bundles if x not in graph and x != channel_head
         }
@@ -175,7 +179,11 @@ def check_upgrade_graph_loop(bundle: Bundle) -> Iterator[CheckResult]:
         visited: List[Bundle] = []
         try:
             channel_bundles = operator.channel_bundles(channel)
-            graph = operator.update_graph(channel)
+            try:
+                graph = operator.update_graph(channel)
+            except NotImplementedError as exc:
+                yield Fail(str(exc))
+                return
             follow_graph(graph, channel_bundles[0], visited)
         except GraphLoopException as exc:
             yield Fail(str(exc))
diff --git a/operator-pipeline-images/operatorcert/static_tests/community/operator.py b/operator-pipeline-images/operatorcert/static_tests/community/operator.py
index a2fbde894..482e06627 100644
--- a/operator-pipeline-images/operatorcert/static_tests/community/operator.py
+++ b/operator-pipeline-images/operatorcert/static_tests/community/operator.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 from collections.abc import Iterator
 
 from operator_repo import Operator
-from operator_repo.checks import CheckResult, Fail
+from operator_repo.checks import CheckResult, Fail, Warn
 
 
 def check_operator_name(operator: Operator) -> Iterator[CheckResult]:
@@ -17,3 +17,19 @@ def check_operator_name(operator: Operator) -> Iterator[CheckResult]:
     names = {bundle.csv_operator_name for bundle in operator}
     if len(names) > 1:
         yield Fail(f"Bundles use multiple operator names: {names}")
+
+
+def check_ci_upgrade_graph(operator: Operator) -> Iterator[CheckResult]:
+    """Ensure the operator has a valid upgrade graph for ci.yaml"""
+    upgrade_graph = operator.config.get("updateGraph")
+    if not upgrade_graph:
+        yield Warn(
+            "The 'updateGraph' option is missing in ci.yaml. "
+            "The default upgrade graph 'replaces-mode' will be used."
+        )
+    else:
+        allowed_graphs = ["replaces-mode", "semver-mode"]
+        if upgrade_graph not in allowed_graphs:
+            yield Fail(
+                f"The 'updateGraph' option in ci.yaml must be one of {allowed_graphs}"
+            )
diff --git a/operator-pipeline-images/tests/static_tests/community/test_bundle.py b/operator-pipeline-images/tests/static_tests/community/test_bundle.py
index aa2ff1783..dd545b256 100644
--- a/operator-pipeline-images/tests/static_tests/community/test_bundle.py
+++ b/operator-pipeline-images/tests/static_tests/community/test_bundle.py
@@ -204,7 +204,9 @@ def test_required_fields(
     assert expected_successes.intersection(collected_results.keys()) == set()
 
 
-def test_check_dangling_bundles(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+@patch("operator_repo.core.Operator.config")
+def test_check_dangling_bundles(mock_config: MagicMock, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    mock_config.get.return_value = "replaces-mode"
     create_files(
         tmp_path,
         bundle_files("hello", "0.0.1"),
@@ -217,6 +219,13 @@ def test_check_dangling_bundles(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     failures = list(check_dangling_bundles(bundle3))
     assert failures == []
 
+    mock_config.get.return_value = "unknown-mode"
+    is_loop = list(check_dangling_bundles(bundle3))
+    assert is_loop == [
+        Fail("Operator(hello): unsupported updateGraph value: unknown-mode")
+    ]
+
+    mock_config.get.return_value = "replaces-mode"
     # Bundle 0.0.2 is not referenced by any bundle and it is not a HEAD of channel
     create_files(
         tmp_path,
@@ -234,7 +243,9 @@ def test_check_dangling_bundles(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     )
 
 
-def test_check_upgrade_graph_loop(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+@patch("operator_repo.core.Operator.config")
+def test_check_upgrade_graph_loop(mock_config: MagicMock, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    mock_config.get.return_value = "replaces-mode"
     create_files(
         tmp_path,
         bundle_files("hello", "0.0.1"),
@@ -247,6 +258,13 @@ def test_check_upgrade_graph_loop(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     is_loop = list(check_upgrade_graph_loop(bundle))
     assert is_loop == []
 
+    mock_config.get.return_value = "unknown-mode"
+    is_loop = list(check_upgrade_graph_loop(bundle))
+    assert is_loop == [
+        Fail("Operator(hello): unsupported updateGraph value: unknown-mode")
+    ]
+
+    mock_config.get.return_value = "replaces-mode"
     # Both bundles replace each other
     create_files(
         tmp_path,
diff --git a/operator-pipeline-images/tests/static_tests/community/test_operator.py b/operator-pipeline-images/tests/static_tests/community/test_operator.py
index 71a61362c..9ea63d1c4 100644
--- a/operator-pipeline-images/tests/static_tests/community/test_operator.py
+++ b/operator-pipeline-images/tests/static_tests/community/test_operator.py
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
 
+import pytest
+import yaml
 from operator_repo import Repo
-
-from operatorcert.static_tests.community.operator import check_operator_name
-from tests.utils import create_files, bundle_files
+from operator_repo.checks import Fail, Warn
+from operatorcert.static_tests.community.operator import (
+    check_ci_upgrade_graph,
+    check_operator_name,
+)
+from tests.utils import bundle_files, create_files
 
 
 def test_check_operator_name(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
@@ -20,3 +26,54 @@ def test_check_operator_name(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
         ),
     )
     assert [x.kind for x in check_operator_name(operator)] == ["failure"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "graph_mode, expected",
+    [
+        pytest.param(
+            "",
+            {
+                Warn(
+                    "The 'updateGraph' option is missing in ci.yaml. The default upgrade graph 'replaces-mode' will be used."
+                )
+            },
+            id="empty",
+        ),
+        pytest.param(
+            "replaces-mode",
+            set(),
+            id="replaces",
+        ),
+        pytest.param(
+            "semver-mode",
+            set(),
+            id="semver",
+        ),
+        pytest.param(
+            "unknown-mode",
+            {
+                Fail(
+                    "The 'updateGraph' option in ci.yaml must be one of ['replaces-mode', 'semver-mode']",
+                )
+            },
+            id="unknown",
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_check_ci_upgrade_graph(graph_mode: str, expected: Any, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    create_files(
+        tmp_path,
+        bundle_files(
+            "test-operator",
+            "0.0.1",
+            other_files={
+                "operators/test-operator/ci.yaml": {"updateGraph": graph_mode}
+            },
+        ),
+    )
+    repo = Repo(tmp_path)
+    operator = repo.operator("test-operator")
+    result = check_ci_upgrade_graph(operator)
+
+    assert set(result) == expected