diff --git a/.github/workflows/stale.yml b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
index ce57c316..a63518f6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/stale.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
@@ -13,9 +13,38 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/stale@v5
       with:
         repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-        stale-issue-message: 'This issue is being marked as stale due to a long period of inactivity'
-        stale-pr-message: 'This PR is being marked as stale due to a long period of inactivity'
-        stale-issue-label: 'kind/stale'
-        stale-pr-label: 'kind/stale'
-        exempt-issue-label: 'kind/stale'
-        exempt-pr-label: 'kind/stale'
+        stale-issue-message: "The Cobra project currently lacks enough contributors to adequately respond to all issues.
+          This bot triages issues and PRs according to the following rules:
+
+          - After 60d of inactivity, lifecycle/stale is applied.
+          - After 30d of inactivity since lifecycle/stale was applied, lifecycle/rotten is applied and the issue is closed.
+
+          You can:
+
+          - Make a comment to remove the stale label and show your support. The 60 days reset.
+          - If an issue has lifecycle/rotten and is closed, comment and ask maintainers if they'd be interseted in reopening"
+
+        stale-pr-message: "The Cobra project currently lacks enough contributors to adequately respond to all PRs.
+          This bot triages issues and PRs according to the following rules:
+
+          - After 60d of inactivity, lifecycle/stale is applied.
+          - After 30d of inactivity since lifecycle/stale was applied, lifecycle/rotten is applied and the PR is closed.
+
+          You can:
+
+          - Make a comment to remove the stale label and show your support. The 60 days reset.
+          - If a PR has lifecycle/rotten and is closed, comment and ask maintainers if they'd be interseted in reopening."
+
+        days-before-stale: 60
+        days-before-close: 30
+        stale-issue-label: 'lifecycle/stale'
+        stale-pr-label: 'lifecycle/stale'
+        exempt-issue-label: 'lifecycle/frozen'
+        exempt-pr-label: 'lifecycle/frozen'
+        close-issue-label: 'lifecycle/rotten'
+        close-pr-label: 'lifecycle/rotten'
+
+        # Since cobra has so many legacy issues and PRs that need to be triaged,
+        # only label new PRs and issues.
+        start-date: '2022-02-01T00:00:00Z'
+