diff --git a/catalog-info.yaml b/catalog-info.yaml
index 3a61eb47e..43b41c1a8 100644
--- a/catalog-info.yaml
+++ b/catalog-info.yaml
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ spec:
         build_branches: true
         build_pull_request_forks: false
         cancel_deleted_branch_builds: true
-        filter_condition: build.branch == "main" || build.branch == "9.4" || build.branch == "9.3" || build.branch == "8.19" || build.branch == "7.17"
+        filter_condition: build.branch == "main" || build.branch == "9.5" || build.branch == "9.4" || build.branch == "9.3" || build.branch == "8.19"
         filter_enabled: true
         publish_blocked_as_pending: true
         publish_commit_status: false
@@ -164,10 +164,6 @@ spec:
         trigger_mode: code
       repository: elastic/ml-cpp
       schedules:
-        Daily 7_17:
-          branch: '7.17'
-          cronline: 30 04 * * *
-          message: Daily SNAPSHOT build for 7.17
         Daily 8_19:
           branch: '8.19'
           cronline: 30 03 * * *
@@ -180,6 +176,10 @@ spec:
           branch: '9.4'
           cronline: 30 01 * * *
           message: Daily SNAPSHOT build for 9.4
+        Daily 9.5:
+          branch: '9.5'
+          cronline: 30 05 * * *
+          message: Daily SNAPSHOT build for 9.5
         Daily main:
           branch: main
           cronline: 30 00 * * *
diff --git a/dev-tools/bump_main_minor_freeze.sh b/dev-tools/bump_main_minor_freeze.sh
index 9886cdd2b..c8d51c70a 100755
--- a/dev-tools/bump_main_minor_freeze.sh
+++ b/dev-tools/bump_main_minor_freeze.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ source "${SCRIPT_DIR}/version_bump_lib.sh"
 PYTHON="${PYTHON:-python3}"
 VALIDATION_PY="${SCRIPT_DIR}/version_bump_validation.py"
 UPDATE_BACKPORTRC_PY="${SCRIPT_DIR}/update_backportrc.py"
+UPDATE_CATALOG_PY="${SCRIPT_DIR}/update_catalog_snapshot.py"
 CREATE_PR_SH="${SCRIPT_DIR}/create_github_pull_request.sh"
 
 : "${NEW_VERSION:?NEW_VERSION must be set}"
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ TARGET_BRANCH="main"
 
 GRADLE_PROPS="gradle.properties"
 BACKPORTRC=".backportrc.json"
+CATALOG_INFO="catalog-info.yaml"
 
 if [ "$DRY_RUN" = "true" ]; then
     echo "=== DRY RUN MODE — will not push or create PR ==="
@@ -115,14 +117,22 @@ then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+# Register the newly cut release branch in the daily snapshot build pipeline.
+if ! "$PYTHON" "$UPDATE_CATALOG_PY" \
+    --path "$CATALOG_INFO" \
+    --branch "$BRANCH"
+then
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 if git diff-index --quiet HEAD --; then
-    echo "main already at ${MAIN_NEW_VERSION} and .backportrc.json is up to date — nothing to do"
+    echo "main already at ${MAIN_NEW_VERSION}, .backportrc.json and catalog-info.yaml up to date — nothing to do"
     version_bump_set_buildkite_meta "ml_cpp_main_bump_needed" "false"
     exit 0
 fi
 
 configure_git
-git add "$GRADLE_PROPS" "$BACKPORTRC"
+git add "$GRADLE_PROPS" "$BACKPORTRC" "$CATALOG_INFO"
 git commit -m "[ML] Bump version to ${MAIN_NEW_VERSION} (minor freeze)"
 
 if [ "$DRY_RUN" = "true" ]; then
@@ -145,6 +155,7 @@ Automated minor feature-freeze bump for \`${TARGET_BRANCH}\`.
 | **Release branch** | \`${BRANCH}\` @ \`${NEW_VERSION}\` |
 | **elasticsearchVersion on main** | \`${current_version}\` → \`${MAIN_NEW_VERSION}\` |
 | **.backportrc.json** | Adds \`${BRANCH}\`; maps \`v${MAIN_NEW_VERSION}\` → \`main\` |
+| **catalog-info.yaml** | Adds \`${BRANCH}\` to the snapshot pipeline filter and a daily snapshot schedule |
 
 When merging is enabled (\`VERSION_BUMP_NO_MERGE\` not true): **auto-merge** if \`VERSION_BUMP_MERGE_AUTO=true\`.
 EOF
diff --git a/dev-tools/unittest/test_update_catalog_snapshot.py b/dev-tools/unittest/test_update_catalog_snapshot.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6ae93042a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev-tools/unittest/test_update_catalog_snapshot.py
@@ -0,0 +1,229 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+# or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+# 2.0 and the following additional limitation. Functionality enabled by the
+# files subject to the Elastic License 2.0 may only be used in production when
+# invoked by an Elasticsearch process with a license key installed that permits
+# use of machine learning features. You may not use this file except in
+# compliance with the Elastic License 2.0 and the foregoing additional
+# limitation.
+
+"""Pytest tests for dev-tools/update_catalog_snapshot.py.
+
+Verifies a newly cut release branch is registered in the snapshot build pipeline
+(filter_condition + daily schedule) with a minimal, comment-preserving diff, that
+the operation is idempotent, and that the real catalog-info.yaml stays valid YAML.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+_DEV_TOOLS = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+if str(_DEV_TOOLS) not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, str(_DEV_TOOLS))
+
+import update_catalog_snapshot as ucs  # noqa: E402
+
+_REPO_ROOT = _DEV_TOOLS.parent
+_CATALOG = _REPO_ROOT / "catalog-info.yaml"
+
+# A branch that will never actually ship, so real-catalog tests stay stable and
+# never flip to a no-op (changed == False) once a plausible version is released.
+_SENTINEL_BRANCH = "99.0"
+
+# Minimal fixture mirroring the snapshot pipeline block followed by another
+# section, so scoping (only the snapshot block is edited) is exercised.
+_FIXTURE = """\
+# Declare the snapshot build pipeline
+---
+apiVersion: "backstage.io/v1alpha1"
+kind: "Resource"
+metadata:
+  name: "ml-cpp-snapshot-builds"
+spec:
+  implementation:
+    spec:
+      provider_settings:
+        build_branches: true
+        filter_condition: build.branch == "main" || build.branch == "9.4" || build.branch == "7.17"
+        filter_enabled: true
+      schedules:
+        Daily 7_17:
+          branch: '7.17'
+          cronline: 30 04 * * *
+          message: Daily SNAPSHOT build for 7.17
+        Daily 9.4:
+          branch: '9.4'
+          cronline: 30 01 * * *
+          message: Daily SNAPSHOT build for 9.4
+        Daily main:
+          branch: main
+          cronline: 30 00 * * *
+          message: Daily SNAPSHOT build for main
+      skip_intermediate_builds: true
+
+# Declare the staging build pipeline
+---
+metadata:
+  name: "ml-cpp-staging-builds"
+spec:
+  implementation:
+    spec:
+      provider_settings:
+        filter_condition: 'build.branch == "main"'
+"""
+
+
+def test_adds_branch_to_filter_after_main() -> None:
+    new_text, changed = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(_FIXTURE, "9.5")
+    assert changed is True
+    filter_line = next(
+        line for line in new_text.splitlines() if "filter_condition:" in line and "build_branches" not in line
+    )
+    # 9.5 must appear immediately after main and before 9.4 (newest-first).
+    assert 'build.branch == "main" || build.branch == "9.5" || build.branch == "9.4"' in filter_line
+
+
+def test_adds_schedule_before_main_with_next_free_hour() -> None:
+    new_text, _ = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(_FIXTURE, "9.5")
+    lines = new_text.splitlines()
+    # New schedule inserted just before "Daily main:".
+    keys = [ln.strip().rstrip(":") for ln in lines if ln.strip().startswith("Daily ")]
+    assert keys == ["Daily 7_17", "Daily 9.4", "Daily 9.5", "Daily main"]
+    # Next free half-past hour is 05 (max existing is 04).
+    assert "cronline: 30 05 * * *" in new_text
+    assert "message: Daily SNAPSHOT build for 9.5" in new_text
+    assert "branch: '9.5'" in new_text
+
+
+def test_does_not_touch_staging_section() -> None:
+    new_text, _ = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(_FIXTURE, "9.5")
+    staging = new_text.split("# Declare the staging build pipeline", 1)[1]
+    assert "9.5" not in staging
+
+
+def test_idempotent() -> None:
+    once, changed1 = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(_FIXTURE, "9.5")
+    assert changed1 is True
+    twice, changed2 = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(once, "9.5")
+    assert changed2 is False
+    assert twice == once
+
+
+def test_partial_state_filter_only_is_completed() -> None:
+    # Branch already in filter but no schedule yet: the schedule must still be added.
+    text, _ = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(_FIXTURE, "9.5")
+    # Remove the schedule block we just added, keep the filter entry.
+    without_schedule = text.replace(
+        "        Daily 9.5:\n"
+        "          branch: '9.5'\n"
+        "          cronline: 30 05 * * *\n"
+        "          message: Daily SNAPSHOT build for 9.5\n",
+        "",
+    )
+    completed, changed = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(without_schedule, "9.5")
+    assert changed is True
+    assert "Daily 9.5:" in completed
+
+
+def test_partial_state_schedule_only_is_completed() -> None:
+    # Inverse of the above: branch already scheduled but missing from the filter
+    # (e.g. a hand edit). The filter entry must still be added.
+    text, _ = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(_FIXTURE, "9.5")
+    # Remove only the filter entry we just added, keep the schedule block.
+    without_filter = text.replace(' || build.branch == "9.5"', "")
+    assert 'build.branch == "9.5"' not in without_filter
+    assert "Daily 9.5:" in without_filter
+
+    completed, changed = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(without_filter, "9.5")
+    assert changed is True
+    assert 'build.branch == "9.5"' in completed
+    # The schedule must not be duplicated when it was already present.
+    assert completed.count("Daily 9.5:") == 1
+
+
+def test_fallback_appends_after_last_entry_when_no_daily_main() -> None:
+    # A schedules block without a "Daily main" entry: the new schedule must be
+    # appended after the last existing entry, before the next sibling key
+    # (skip_intermediate_builds), not prepended after "schedules:".
+    fixture = """\
+# Declare the snapshot build pipeline
+---
+metadata:
+  name: "ml-cpp-snapshot-builds"
+spec:
+  implementation:
+    spec:
+      provider_settings:
+        filter_condition: build.branch == "main" || build.branch == "9.4"
+      schedules:
+        Daily 9.4:
+          branch: '9.4'
+          cronline: 30 01 * * *
+          message: Daily SNAPSHOT build for 9.4
+      skip_intermediate_builds: true
+
+# Declare the staging build pipeline
+---
+metadata:
+  name: "other"
+"""
+    new_text, changed = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(fixture, "9.5")
+    assert changed is True
+    lines = new_text.splitlines()
+    keys = [ln.strip().rstrip(":") for ln in lines if ln.strip().startswith("Daily ")]
+    assert keys == ["Daily 9.4", "Daily 9.5"]
+    # New block sits between the last schedule entry and the sibling key.
+    msg_idx = next(i for i, ln in enumerate(lines) if "Daily SNAPSHOT build for 9.5" in ln)
+    sib_idx = next(i for i, ln in enumerate(lines) if "skip_intermediate_builds:" in ln)
+    assert msg_idx < sib_idx
+    yaml = pytest.importorskip("yaml")
+    docs = list(yaml.safe_load_all(new_text))
+    snap = next(
+        d for d in docs if d and d.get("metadata", {}).get("name") == "ml-cpp-snapshot-builds"
+    )
+    assert snap["spec"]["implementation"]["spec"]["schedules"]["Daily 9.5"]["branch"] == "9.5"
+
+
+def test_rejects_non_semver_branch() -> None:
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="MAJOR.MINOR"):
+        ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(_FIXTURE, "main")
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="MAJOR.MINOR"):
+        ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(_FIXTURE, "9.5.0")
+
+
+def test_missing_snapshot_anchor_raises() -> None:
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="anchor not found"):
+        ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot("no snapshot pipeline here\n", "9.5")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not _CATALOG.is_file(), reason="catalog-info.yaml not found")
+def test_real_catalog_edit_is_valid_yaml_and_unique_crons() -> None:
+    yaml = pytest.importorskip("yaml")
+    text = _CATALOG.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    new_text, changed = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(text, _SENTINEL_BRANCH)
+    assert changed is True
+
+    docs = list(yaml.safe_load_all(new_text))
+    snap = next(
+        d for d in docs if d and d.get("metadata", {}).get("name") == "ml-cpp-snapshot-builds"
+    )
+    spec = snap["spec"]["implementation"]["spec"]
+    assert f'build.branch == "{_SENTINEL_BRANCH}"' in spec["provider_settings"]["filter_condition"]
+    assert spec["schedules"][f"Daily {_SENTINEL_BRANCH}"]["branch"] == _SENTINEL_BRANCH
+
+    crons = [s["cronline"] for s in spec["schedules"].values()]
+    assert len(crons) == len(set(crons)), f"cronline collision: {crons}"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not _CATALOG.is_file(), reason="catalog-info.yaml not found")
+def test_real_catalog_only_snapshot_block_changes() -> None:
+    text = _CATALOG.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    new_text, _ = ucs.add_release_branch_to_snapshot(text, _SENTINEL_BRANCH)
+    # The staging section (and everything after it) must be untouched.
+    marker = "# Declare the staging build pipeline"
+    assert text.split(marker, 1)[1] == new_text.split(marker, 1)[1]
diff --git a/dev-tools/update_catalog_snapshot.py b/dev-tools/update_catalog_snapshot.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..51b5d9fcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev-tools/update_catalog_snapshot.py
@@ -0,0 +1,181 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+# or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+# 2.0 and the following additional limitation. Functionality enabled by the
+# files subject to the Elastic License 2.0 may only be used in production when
+# invoked by an Elasticsearch process with a license key installed that permits
+# use of machine learning features. You may not use this file except in
+# compliance with the Elastic License 2.0 and the foregoing additional
+# limitation.
+#
+"""Register a newly cut release branch in the ml-cpp snapshot build pipeline.
+
+When a minor feature freeze cuts a new MAJOR.MINOR release branch, the daily
+snapshot build pipeline defined in ``catalog-info.yaml`` must be told about it in
+two places:
+
+  * ``filter_condition`` -- otherwise scheduled/triggered builds for the branch
+    are blocked.
+  * ``schedules`` -- a new ``Daily <branch>`` cron entry so the branch gets a
+    daily SNAPSHOT build.
+
+The edit is deliberately a scoped, comment-preserving text transform (rather than
+a YAML round-trip) so the rest of ``catalog-info.yaml`` -- comments, ordering and
+formatting -- is left byte-for-byte identical. Only the snapshot pipeline block is
+touched; the staging pipeline already matches any MAJOR.MINOR via a regex filter
+and has no schedules, so it needs no change.
+
+The operation is idempotent: re-running for a branch that is already registered
+makes no change (important because the centralized version bump may re-trigger a
+completed freeze).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import re
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Tuple
+
+# Anchors the snapshot pipeline document. Unique within catalog-info.yaml.
+_SNAPSHOT_ANCHOR = 'name: "ml-cpp-snapshot-builds"'
+# Section boundaries are the human-authored "# Declare the ... pipeline" comments.
+_SECTION_END_RE = re.compile(r"^# Declare ", re.MULTILINE)
+_FILTER_RE = re.compile(r"^(?P<indent>[ \t]*)filter_condition:[ \t]*(?P<val>.*)$", re.MULTILINE)
+_SCHEDULES_RE = re.compile(r"^(?P<indent>[ \t]*)schedules:[ \t]*$", re.MULTILINE)
+_CRON_HOUR_RE = re.compile(r"cronline:[ \t]*30[ \t]+(\d{1,2})[ \t]")
+_BRANCH_RE = re.compile(r"^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$")
+
+
+def _snapshot_bounds(text: str) -> Tuple[int, int]:
+    start = text.find(_SNAPSHOT_ANCHOR)
+    if start == -1:
+        raise ValueError(f"snapshot pipeline anchor not found ({_SNAPSHOT_ANCHOR!r})")
+    end_match = _SECTION_END_RE.search(text, start)
+    end = end_match.start() if end_match else len(text)
+    return start, end
+
+
+def _update_filter_condition(section: str, branch: str) -> Tuple[str, bool]:
+    m = _FILTER_RE.search(section)
+    if m is None:
+        raise ValueError("filter_condition not found in snapshot pipeline")
+    val = m.group("val")
+    token = f'build.branch == "{branch}"'
+    if token in val:
+        return section, False
+    main_token = 'build.branch == "main"'
+    if main_token in val:
+        # Insert immediately after main to keep newest-first ordering.
+        pos = val.index(main_token) + len(main_token)
+        new_val = f"{val[:pos]} || {token}{val[pos:]}"
+    else:
+        new_val = f"{val} || {token}"
+    new_line = f"{m.group('indent')}filter_condition: {new_val}"
+    return section[: m.start()] + new_line + section[m.end() :], True
+
+
+def _next_cron_hour(section: str) -> int:
+    hours = [int(h) for h in _CRON_HOUR_RE.findall(section)]
+    next_hour = (max(hours) + 1) if hours else 0
+    if next_hour > 23:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "no free daily 'half past' snapshot slot: hours 0-23 are all taken; "
+            "prune EOL branch schedules in catalog-info.yaml before adding more"
+        )
+    return next_hour
+
+
+def _add_schedule(section: str, branch: str) -> Tuple[str, bool]:
+    m = _SCHEDULES_RE.search(section)
+    if m is None:
+        raise ValueError("schedules block not found in snapshot pipeline")
+    # Already scheduled? (accept single/double quoted or bare branch value)
+    if re.search(rf"^[ \t]*branch:[ \t]*['\"]?{re.escape(branch)}['\"]?[ \t]*$", section, re.MULTILINE):
+        return section, False
+
+    schedules_indent = m.group("indent")
+    key_indent = schedules_indent + "  "
+    field_indent = key_indent + "  "
+    cron_hour = _next_cron_hour(section)
+    block = (
+        f"{key_indent}Daily {branch}:\n"
+        f"{field_indent}branch: '{branch}'\n"
+        f"{field_indent}cronline: 30 {cron_hour:02d} * * *\n"
+        f"{field_indent}message: Daily SNAPSHOT build for {branch}\n"
+    )
+
+    # Insert before the "Daily main:" entry so main stays last.
+    main_entry = re.compile(rf"^{re.escape(key_indent)}Daily main:[ \t]*$", re.MULTILINE)
+    main_m = main_entry.search(section, m.end())
+    if main_m is not None:
+        insert_at = main_m.start()
+        return section[:insert_at] + block + section[insert_at:], True
+
+    # Fallback (no "Daily main" entry): append after the last schedule entry, i.e.
+    # just before the first following line indented at or below the "schedules:" key
+    # (a sibling mapping key) or the end of the section.
+    schedules_col = len(schedules_indent)
+    insert_at = len(section)
+    for sibling in re.finditer(r"^(?P<indent>[ \t]*)\S", section[m.end() :], re.MULTILINE):
+        if len(sibling.group("indent")) <= schedules_col:
+            insert_at = m.end() + sibling.start()
+            break
+    return section[:insert_at] + block + section[insert_at:], True
+
+
+def add_release_branch_to_snapshot(text: str, branch: str) -> Tuple[str, bool]:
+    """Add ``branch`` to the snapshot pipeline filter and schedules. Idempotent.
+
+    Returns (new_text, changed).
+    """
+    if not _BRANCH_RE.match(branch):
+        raise ValueError(f"branch must be MAJOR.MINOR (e.g. 9.5), got {branch!r}")
+
+    start, end = _snapshot_bounds(text)
+    section = text[start:end]
+
+    section, filter_changed = _update_filter_condition(section, branch)
+    section, schedule_changed = _add_schedule(section, branch)
+
+    changed = filter_changed or schedule_changed
+    if not changed:
+        return text, False
+    return text[:start] + section + text[end:], True
+
+
+def _cmd_update(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
+    path = Path(args.path)
+    if not path.is_file():
+        print(f"ERROR: {path} not found", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+
+    text = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    try:
+        new_text, changed = add_release_branch_to_snapshot(text, args.branch)
+    except ValueError as e:
+        print(f"ERROR: {e}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+
+    if not changed:
+        print(f"OK: {path} already schedules snapshot builds for branch {args.branch}")
+        return 0
+
+    path.write_text(new_text, encoding="utf-8")
+    print(f"Updated {path}: added branch {args.branch} to snapshot filter and schedules")
+    return 0
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description="Register a release branch in the ml-cpp snapshot build pipeline"
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("--path", default="catalog-info.yaml", help="Path to catalog-info.yaml")
+    parser.add_argument("--branch", required=True, help="Release branch (MAJOR.MINOR, e.g. 9.5)")
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    return _cmd_update(args)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())