diff --git a/.yamato/ngo-publish.yml b/.yamato/ngo-publish.yml
index 81f9f57b3b..ecd6f2fc70 100644
--- a/.yamato/ngo-publish.yml
+++ b/.yamato/ngo-publish.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ ngo_release_preparation:
   agent: { type: Unity::VM, flavor: b1.small, image: package-ci/ubuntu-22.04:v4 }
   triggers:
     recurring:
-      - branch: develop-2.0.0 # We make new releases from this branch
+      - branch: develop-3.x.x # We make new releases from this branch
         frequency: "10 ? * 1" # Runs every Sunday at 10:00 AM
   commands:
     - pip install PyGithub
diff --git a/.yamato/package-pack.yml b/.yamato/package-pack.yml
index 7554274fe8..50ce3587d9 100644
--- a/.yamato/package-pack.yml
+++ b/.yamato/package-pack.yml
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@ package_pack_-_ngo_{{ platform.name }}:
   variables:
     XRAY_PROFILE: "gold ./pvpExceptions.json rme"
   commands:
+    # Remove ValidationExceptions.json and its .meta file if they exist. For this specific test it's necessary (otherwise we want to keep them since we use those for release).
+{% if platform.name == "win" %}
+    - if exist com.unity.netcode.gameobjects\ValidationExceptions.json del /f /q com.unity.netcode.gameobjects\ValidationExceptions.json
+    - if exist com.unity.netcode.gameobjects\ValidationExceptions.json.meta del /f /q com.unity.netcode.gameobjects\ValidationExceptions.json.meta
+{% else %}
+    - rm -f com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/ValidationExceptions.json
+    - rm -f com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/ValidationExceptions.json.meta
+{% endif %}
+
     - upm-pvp pack "com.unity.netcode.gameobjects" --output upm-ci~/packages
     - upm-pvp xray --packages "upm-ci~/packages/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects*.tgz" --results pvp-results
     - upm-pvp require {% if platform.name == "win" %}"%XRAY_PROFILE%"{% else %}"$XRAY_PROFILE"{% endif %} --results pvp-results --allow-missing
diff --git a/Tools/scripts/ReleaseAutomation/release_config.py b/Tools/scripts/ReleaseAutomation/release_config.py
index fc968fd160..ddd35bb366 100644
--- a/Tools/scripts/ReleaseAutomation/release_config.py
+++ b/Tools/scripts/ReleaseAutomation/release_config.py
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ class ReleaseConfig:
     def __init__(self):
         self.manifest_path = 'com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/package.json'
         self.changelog_path = 'com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md'
-        self.validation_exceptions_path = './ValidationExceptions.json'
+        self.validation_exceptions_path = 'com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/ValidationExceptions.json'
         self.github_repo = 'Unity-Technologies/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects'
-        self.default_repo_branch = 'develop-2.0.0' # Changelog and package version change will be pushed to this branch
+        self.default_repo_branch = 'develop-3.x.x' # Changelog and package version change will be pushed to this branch
         self.yamato_project_id = '1201'
         self.command_to_run_on_release_branch = make_package_release_ready
 
diff --git a/Tools/scripts/Utils/general_utils.py b/Tools/scripts/Utils/general_utils.py
index 0b822ab8d9..ca45a29953 100644
--- a/Tools/scripts/Utils/general_utils.py
+++ b/Tools/scripts/Utils/general_utils.py
@@ -132,13 +132,20 @@ def update_changelog(changelog_path, new_version, add_unreleased_template=False)
     with open(changelog_path, 'r', encoding='UTF-8') as f:
         changelog_text = f.read()
 
-    # This pattern finds a line starting with '###', followed by its newline,
-    # and then two more lines that contain only whitespace.
+    # This pattern finds a line starting with '###' followed only by blank lines up to the next heading or end of section.
     # The re.MULTILINE flag allows '^' to match the start of each line.
-    pattern = re.compile(r"^###.*\n\n\n", re.MULTILINE)
-
-    # Replace every match with an empty string. The goal is to remove empty CHANGELOG subsections.
-    cleaned_content = pattern.sub('', changelog_text)
+    pattern = re.compile(r"^###[^\n]*\n(?:[ \t]*\n)*(?=##|\Z)", re.MULTILINE)
+
+    # Replace every match within the [Unreleased] section with an empty string. The goal is to remove empty CHANGELOG subsections.
+    # Released sections are left untouched since some of them use '###' for their version heading.
+    cleaned_content = changelog_text
+    unreleased_section = re.search(r'(?ms)^## \[Unreleased\].*?(?=^## \[|\Z)', changelog_text)
+    if unreleased_section:
+        cleaned_content = (
+            changelog_text[:unreleased_section.start()] +
+            pattern.sub('', unreleased_section.group(0)) +
+            changelog_text[unreleased_section.end():]
+        )
 
     if version_header_to_find_if_exists in changelog_text:
         warnings.warn(f"A changelog entry for version '{new_version}' already exists. The script will just remove Unreleased section and its content.")
diff --git a/Tools/scripts/release.py b/Tools/scripts/release.py
index 4693d90bc9..b55ce22ba5 100644
--- a/Tools/scripts/release.py
+++ b/Tools/scripts/release.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def make_package_release_ready(manifest_path, changelog_path, validation_excepti
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     manifest_path = 'com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/package.json'
     changelog_path = 'com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md'
-    validation_exceptions_path = './ValidationExceptions.json'
+    validation_exceptions_path = 'com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/ValidationExceptions.json'
     package_version = get_package_version_from_manifest(manifest_path)
 
     make_package_release_ready(manifest_path, changelog_path, validation_exceptions_path, package_version)
diff --git a/ValidationExceptions.json b/ValidationExceptions.json
deleted file mode 100644
index c6b271631e..0000000000
--- a/ValidationExceptions.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "ErrorExceptions": [],
-  "WarningExceptions": []
-}
diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md
index 15f400f9db..9be4e4fba7 100644
--- a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ Additional documentation and release notes are available at [Multiplayer Documen
 
 ### Changed
 
-- Updated Netcode for Entities dependency to 7.1.0
-
 ### Deprecated
 
 ### Removed
@@ -24,6 +22,12 @@ Additional documentation and release notes are available at [Multiplayer Documen
 
 ### Obsolete
 
+## [3.1.0] - 2026-10-04
+
+### Changed
+
+- Updated Netcode for Entities dependency to 7.1.0
+
 ## [3.0.0] - 2026-09-14
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Editor/InScenePlacedProcessor.cs b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Editor/InScenePlacedProcessor.cs
index 4314aa243d..8c326e5107 100644
--- a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Editor/InScenePlacedProcessor.cs
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Editor/InScenePlacedProcessor.cs
@@ -5,20 +5,47 @@
 using UnityEngine;
 using UnityEngine.SceneManagement;
 
+#if UNITY_7000_0_OR_NEWER
+using UnityEditor.Build.Content;
+#endif
+
 namespace Unity.Netcode.GameObjects.Editor
 {
     /// <summary>
-    /// A <see cref="IProcessSceneWithReport"/> that sets the <see cref
+    /// A build scene callback that sets the <see cref
     /// "NetworkObject.InScenePlaced"/> property to true for all <see cref="NetworkObject"/>s in the scene.
     /// Ensures that InScenePlaced is always true for all objects in the scene.
     /// </summary>
     /// <remarks>
-    /// This will always run as the game enters the scene,
+    /// This will always run as a scene is loaded in playmode or while processed for a player build.
     /// </remarks>
+#if UNITY_7000_0_OR_NEWER
+    internal class SetInScenePlaced : AssetPostprocessor
+    {
+        public override uint GetVersion() => 1;
+
+        public override int GetPostprocessOrder() => 0;
+
+        void OnProcessScene(Scene scene, SceneImportContext sceneImportContext)
+        {
+            InScenePlaceChecks.ReportSceneIssues(scene, sceneImportContext.awakeDidRun);
+        }
+    }
+#else
     internal class SetInScenePlaced : IProcessSceneWithReport
     {
         public int callbackOrder => 0;
+
         public void OnProcessScene(Scene scene, BuildReport report)
+        {
+            InScenePlaceChecks.ReportSceneIssues(scene, Application.isPlaying);
+        }
+    }
+#endif
+
+    internal static class InScenePlaceChecks
+    {
+        public static void ReportSceneIssues(Scene scene, bool hasAwakeRun)
         {
             var log = new ContextualLogger();
             log.AddInfo(scene.name, scene.handle);
@@ -42,15 +69,15 @@ public void OnProcessScene(Scene scene, BuildReport report)
                     continue;
                 }
 
-                // If already marked, the do nothing.
+                // If already marked, do nothing.
                 if (networkObject.InScenePlaced)
                 {
                     continue;
                 }
 
                 networkObject.InScenePlaced = true;
-                // Will not be true when making a build and the values are serialized.
-                networkObject.InScenePlacedPostProcessorMarkedDuringRuntime = Application.isPlaying;
+                // Mark that awake has run so this could have been a dynamically instantiated object.
+                networkObject.InScenePlacedPostProcessorMarkedDuringRuntime = hasAwakeRun;
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/ValidationExceptions.json b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/ValidationExceptions.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d258246b0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/ValidationExceptions.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "ErrorExceptions": [
+    {
+      "ValidationTest": "NDA Keyword Validation",
+      "ExceptionMessage": "#if UNITY_7000_0_OR_NEWER",
+      "PackageVersion": "3.1.1"
+    },
+    {
+      "ValidationTest": "NDA Keyword Validation",
+      "ExceptionMessage": "File 'Editor/InScenePlacedProcessor.cs' contains deny-listed keyword pattern '(?<!BestPracticeUnderstandingPerformanceIn)unity[ _]*7' It must not be published",
+      "PackageVersion": "3.1.1"
+    }
+  ],
+  "WarningExceptions": []
+}
diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/ValidationExceptions.json.meta b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/ValidationExceptions.json.meta
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aa2f0e1fbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/ValidationExceptions.json.meta
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+fileFormatVersion: 2
+guid: 8489b8a7e9ea4376a49234263c234efd
+TextScriptImporter:
+  externalObjects: {}
+  userData: 
+  assetBundleName: 
+  assetBundleVariant: 
diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/package.json b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/package.json
index cce070c91f..bf083fd172 100644
--- a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/package.json
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
     "name": "com.unity.netcode.gameobjects",
     "displayName": "Netcode for GameObjects",
     "description": "Netcode for GameObjects is a high-level netcode SDK that provides networking capabilities to GameObject/MonoBehaviour workflows within Unity and sits on top of underlying transport layer.",
-    "version": "3.1.0",
+    "version": "3.1.1",
     "unity": "6000.7",
     "unityRelease": "0b1",
     "dependencies": {