diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-docs.yml b/.github/workflows/test-docs.yml
index a159c3c8..0feed9eb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-docs.yml
@@ -72,3 +72,22 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           cd docs
           make linkcheck
+
+      - name: check redirects for this PR
+        run: |
+          cd docs
+          make rediraffecheckdiff
+
+      # this should check currently published 'stable' links for redirects
+      - name: check redirects since last release
+        run: |
+          cd docs
+          export REDIRAFFE_BRANCH=$(git describe --tags --abbrev 0)
+          make rediraffecheckdiff
+
+      # longer-term redirect check (fixed version) for older links
+      - name: check redirects since 3.0.0
+        run: |
+          cd docs
+          export REDIRAFFE_BRANCH=3.0.0
+          make rediraffecheckdiff
diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index c3c3958b..a236bd4e 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ ogp_use_first_image = True
 # If you are basing changes off another branch/ commit, always change back
 # rediraffe_branch to main before pushing your changes upstream.
 #
-rediraffe_branch = "main"
+rediraffe_branch = os.environ.get("REDIRAFFE_BRANCH", "main")
 rediraffe_redirects = "redirects.txt"
 # rediraffe_redirects = {
 # "old-file": "new-folder/new-file-name",