diff --git a/app/api/controller/githook/post_receive.go b/app/api/controller/githook/post_receive.go
index 5c633fdb9..41506f2f9 100644
--- a/app/api/controller/githook/post_receive.go
+++ b/app/api/controller/githook/post_receive.go
@@ -107,14 +107,14 @@ func (c *Controller) reportBranchEvent(
 	branchUpdate hook.ReferenceUpdate,
 ) {
 	switch {
-	case branchUpdate.Old.String() == types.NilSHA:
+	case branchUpdate.Old.IsNil():
 		c.gitReporter.BranchCreated(ctx, &events.BranchCreatedPayload{
 			RepoID:      repo.ID,
 			PrincipalID: principalID,
 			Ref:         branchUpdate.Ref,
 			SHA:         branchUpdate.New.String(),
 		})
-	case branchUpdate.New.String() == types.NilSHA:
+	case branchUpdate.New.IsNil():
 		c.gitReporter.BranchDeleted(ctx, &events.BranchDeletedPayload{
 			RepoID:      repo.ID,
 			PrincipalID: principalID,
@@ -157,14 +157,14 @@ func (c *Controller) reportTagEvent(
 	tagUpdate hook.ReferenceUpdate,
 ) {
 	switch {
-	case tagUpdate.Old.String() == types.NilSHA:
+	case tagUpdate.Old.IsNil():
 		c.gitReporter.TagCreated(ctx, &events.TagCreatedPayload{
 			RepoID:      repo.ID,
 			PrincipalID: principalID,
 			Ref:         tagUpdate.Ref,
 			SHA:         tagUpdate.New.String(),
 		})
-	case tagUpdate.New.String() == types.NilSHA:
+	case tagUpdate.New.IsNil():
 		c.gitReporter.TagDeleted(ctx, &events.TagDeletedPayload{
 			RepoID:      repo.ID,
 			PrincipalID: principalID,
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ func (c *Controller) handlePRMessaging(
 	// skip anything that was a batch push / isn't branch related / isn't updating/creating a branch.
 	if len(in.RefUpdates) != 1 ||
 		!strings.HasPrefix(in.RefUpdates[0].Ref, gitReferenceNamePrefixBranch) ||
-		in.RefUpdates[0].New.String() == types.NilSHA {
+		in.RefUpdates[0].New.IsNil() {
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ func (c *Controller) handleEmptyRepoPush(
 	// we only care about one active branch that was pushed.
 	for _, refUpdate := range in.RefUpdates {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(refUpdate.Ref, gitReferenceNamePrefixBranch) &&
-			refUpdate.New.String() != types.NilSHA {
+			!refUpdate.New.IsNil() {
 			branchName = refUpdate.Ref[len(gitReferenceNamePrefixBranch):]
 			break
 		}
diff --git a/app/api/controller/githook/pre_receive.go b/app/api/controller/githook/pre_receive.go
index 1b314a7d3..b7367385e 100644
--- a/app/api/controller/githook/pre_receive.go
+++ b/app/api/controller/githook/pre_receive.go
@@ -186,9 +186,9 @@ type changes struct {
 
 func (c *changes) groupByAction(refUpdate hook.ReferenceUpdate, name string) {
 	switch {
-	case refUpdate.Old.String() == types.NilSHA:
+	case refUpdate.Old.IsNil():
 		c.created = append(c.created, name)
-	case refUpdate.New.String() == types.NilSHA:
+	case refUpdate.New.IsNil():
 		c.deleted = append(c.deleted, name)
 	default:
 		c.updated = append(c.updated, name)
diff --git a/app/api/controller/githook/pre_receive_scan_secrets.go b/app/api/controller/githook/pre_receive_scan_secrets.go
index bbcf34b17..18fcdd1b3 100644
--- a/app/api/controller/githook/pre_receive_scan_secrets.go
+++ b/app/api/controller/githook/pre_receive_scan_secrets.go
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func scanSecretsInternal(ctx context.Context,
 		ctx := logging.NewContext(ctx, loggingWithRefUpdate(refUpdate))
 		log := log.Ctx(ctx)
 
-		if refUpdate.New.String() == types.NilSHA {
+		if refUpdate.New.IsNil() {
 			log.Debug().Msg("skip deleted reference")
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/app/api/controller/pullreq/merge.go b/app/api/controller/pullreq/merge.go
index f83895448..1573824a1 100644
--- a/app/api/controller/pullreq/merge.go
+++ b/app/api/controller/pullreq/merge.go
@@ -424,10 +424,11 @@ func (c *Controller) Merge(
 
 	pr.ActivitySeq = activitySeqMerge
 	activityPayload := &types.PullRequestActivityPayloadMerge{
-		MergeMethod: in.Method,
-		MergeSHA:    mergeOutput.MergeSHA.String(),
-		TargetSHA:   mergeOutput.BaseSHA.String(),
-		SourceSHA:   mergeOutput.HeadSHA.String(),
+		MergeMethod:   in.Method,
+		MergeSHA:      mergeOutput.MergeSHA.String(),
+		TargetSHA:     mergeOutput.BaseSHA.String(),
+		SourceSHA:     mergeOutput.HeadSHA.String(),
+		RulesBypassed: protection.IsBypassed(violations),
 	}
 	if _, errAct := c.activityStore.CreateWithPayload(ctx, pr, session.Principal.ID, activityPayload); errAct != nil {
 		// non-critical error
diff --git a/app/services/protection/service.go b/app/services/protection/service.go
index b5b1c4b7a..d6d089d34 100644
--- a/app/services/protection/service.go
+++ b/app/services/protection/service.go
@@ -69,6 +69,15 @@ func IsCritical(violations []types.RuleViolations) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+func IsBypassed(violations []types.RuleViolations) bool {
+	for i := range violations {
+		if violations[i].IsBypassed() {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // NewManager creates new protection Manager.
 func NewManager(ruleStore store.RuleStore) *Manager {
 	return &Manager{
diff --git a/git/hook/cli_core.go b/git/hook/cli_core.go
index 366fb460c..fc4780dfe 100644
--- a/git/hook/cli_core.go
+++ b/git/hook/cli_core.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func (c *CLICore) PreReceive(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read updated references from std in: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	alternateObjDirs, err := getAlternateObjectDirsFromEnv()
+	alternateObjDirs, err := getAlternateObjectDirsFromEnv(refUpdates)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read alternate object dirs from env: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -68,8 +68,10 @@ func (c *CLICore) PreReceive(ctx context.Context) error {
 }
 
 // Update executes the update git hook.
-func (c *CLICore) Update(ctx context.Context, ref string, oldSHA string, newSHA string) error {
-	alternateObjDirs, err := getAlternateObjectDirsFromEnv()
+func (c *CLICore) Update(ctx context.Context, ref string, oldSHARaw string, newSHARaw string) error {
+	newSHA := sha.Must(newSHARaw)
+	oldSHA := sha.Must(oldSHARaw)
+	alternateObjDirs, err := getAlternateObjectDirsFromEnv([]ReferenceUpdate{{Ref: ref, Old: oldSHA, New: newSHA}})
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read alternate object dirs from env: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -77,8 +79,8 @@ func (c *CLICore) Update(ctx context.Context, ref string, oldSHA string, newSHA
 	in := UpdateInput{
 		RefUpdate: ReferenceUpdate{
 			Ref: ref,
-			Old: sha.Must(oldSHA),
-			New: sha.Must(newSHA),
+			Old: oldSHA,
+			New: newSHA,
 		},
 		Environment: Environment{
 			AlternateObjectDirs: alternateObjDirs,
@@ -183,7 +185,20 @@ func getUpdatedReferencesFromStdIn() ([]ReferenceUpdate, error) {
 // to be able to preemptively access the quarantined objects created by a write operation.
 // NOTE: The temp dir of a write operation is it's main object dir,
 // which is the one that read operations have to use as alternate object dir.
-func getAlternateObjectDirsFromEnv() ([]string, error) {
+func getAlternateObjectDirsFromEnv(refUpdates []ReferenceUpdate) ([]string, error) {
+	hasCreateOrUpdate := false
+	for i := range refUpdates {
+		if !refUpdates[i].New.IsNil() {
+			hasCreateOrUpdate = true
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	// git doesn't create an alternate object dir if there's only delete operations
+	if !hasCreateOrUpdate {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
 	tmpDir, err := getRequiredEnvironmentVariable(command.GitObjectDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/types/pullreq_activity.go b/types/pullreq_activity.go
index 3c9c88054..9634c24c3 100644
--- a/types/pullreq_activity.go
+++ b/types/pullreq_activity.go
@@ -220,10 +220,11 @@ func (a *PullRequestActivityPayloadCodeComment) ActivityType() enum.PullReqActiv
 }
 
 type PullRequestActivityPayloadMerge struct {
-	MergeMethod enum.MergeMethod `json:"merge_method"`
-	MergeSHA    string           `json:"merge_sha"`
-	TargetSHA   string           `json:"target_sha"`
-	SourceSHA   string           `json:"source_sha"`
+	MergeMethod   enum.MergeMethod `json:"merge_method"`
+	MergeSHA      string           `json:"merge_sha"`
+	TargetSHA     string           `json:"target_sha"`
+	SourceSHA     string           `json:"source_sha"`
+	RulesBypassed bool             `json:"rules_bypassed,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (a *PullRequestActivityPayloadMerge) ActivityType() enum.PullReqActivityType {
diff --git a/types/rule.go b/types/rule.go
index bdead2e6f..fd4b5ef56 100644
--- a/types/rule.go
+++ b/types/rule.go
@@ -164,7 +164,11 @@ func (violations *RuleViolations) Addf(code, format string, params ...any) {
 }
 
 func (violations *RuleViolations) IsCritical() bool {
-	return violations.Rule.State == enum.RuleStateActive && !violations.Bypassed && len(violations.Violations) > 0
+	return violations.Rule.State == enum.RuleStateActive && len(violations.Violations) > 0 && !violations.Bypassed
+}
+
+func (violations *RuleViolations) IsBypassed() bool {
+	return violations.Rule.State == enum.RuleStateActive && len(violations.Violations) > 0 && violations.Bypassed
 }
 
 // RuleInfo holds basic info about a rule that is used to describe the rule in RuleViolations.
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/strings.en.yaml b/web/src/i18n/strings.en.yaml
index bc911ee7c..83798a8d0 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/strings.en.yaml
+++ b/web/src/i18n/strings.en.yaml
@@ -286,8 +286,8 @@ pr:
   requestSubmitted: Request for changes submitted.
   prReviewSubmit: '{user} {state|approved:approved, rejected:rejected,changereq:requested changes to, reviewed} this pull request.  {time}'
   prMergedBannerInfo: '{user} merged branch {source} into {target} {time}.'
-  prMergedInfo: '{user} merged changes from {source} into {target} as {mergeSha} {time}'
-  prRebasedInfo: '{user} rebased changes from branch {source} onto {target}, now at {mergeSha} {time}'
+  prMergedInfo: '{user}{bypassed|true: bypassed rules and , }merged changes from {source} into {target} as {mergeSha} {time}'
+  prRebasedInfo: '{user}{bypassed|true: bypassed rules and , }rebased changes from branch {source} onto {target}, now at {mergeSha} {time}'
   prBranchPushInfo: '{user} pushed a new commit {commit}'
   prBranchDeleteInfo: '{user} deleted the source branch with latest commit {commit}'
   prStateChanged: '{user} changed pull request state from {old} to {new}.'
diff --git a/web/src/pages/PullRequest/Conversation/SystemComment.tsx b/web/src/pages/PullRequest/Conversation/SystemComment.tsx
index c46b47406..93021ee1d 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/PullRequest/Conversation/SystemComment.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/PullRequest/Conversation/SystemComment.tsx
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ interface SystemCommentProps extends Pick<GitInfoProps, 'pullReqMetadata'> {
 interface MergePayload {
   merge_sha: string
   merge_method: string
+  rules_bypassed: boolean
 }
 
 export const SystemComment: React.FC<SystemCommentProps> = ({ pullReqMetadata, commentItems, repoMetadataPath }) => {
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ export const SystemComment: React.FC<SystemCommentProps> = ({ pullReqMetadata, c
                   user: <strong className={css.rightTextPadding}>{pullReqMetadata.merger?.display_name}</strong>,
                   source: <strong className={css.textPadding}>{pullReqMetadata.source_branch}</strong>,
                   target: <strong className={css.textPadding}>{pullReqMetadata.target_branch}</strong>,
+                  bypassed: (payload?.payload as MergePayload)?.rules_bypassed,
                   mergeSha: (
                     <Container className={css.commitContainer} padding={{ left: 'small', right: 'xsmall' }}>
                       <CommitActions