diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_test_latest_released_mpl_java.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_test_latest_released_mpl_java.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..30a4fd030
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_test_latest_released_mpl_java.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+# This workflow is for testing that the latest released version
+# of the MPL is compatible with the current DB-ESDK Head
+name: Test Latest Released MPL Java with DB-ESDK HEAD
+
+on:
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "00 16 * * 1-5"
+  workflow_dispatch: # allows triggering this manually through the Actions UI
+    inputs:
+      run_test_vectors:
+        description: "Run Test Vectors?"
+        required: false
+        default: true
+        type: boolean
+
+jobs:
+  getVersion:
+    # Don't run the cron builds on forks
+    if: github.event_name != 'schedule' || github.repository_owner == 'aws'
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/dafny_version.yml
+  getVerifyVersion:
+    if: github.event_name != 'schedule' || github.repository_owner == 'aws'
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/dafny_verify_version.yml
+  getMplDependencyJavaVersion:
+    if: github.event_name != 'schedule' || github.repository_owner == 'aws'
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/mpl_dependency_java_version.yml
+  testJava:
+    needs: [getVersion, getMplDependencyJavaVersion]
+    strategy:
+      max-parallel: 1
+      matrix:
+        java-version: [17]
+        os: [ubuntu-22.04]
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    permissions:
+      id-token: write
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - name: Configure AWS Credentials
+        uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v4
+        with:
+          aws-region: us-west-2
+          role-to-assume: arn:aws:iam::370957321024:role/GitHub-CI-DDBEC-Dafny-Role-us-west-2
+          role-session-name: DDBEC-Dafny-Java-Tests
+
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          submodules: recursive
+
+      - name: Setup Java ${{ matrix.java-version }}
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          distribution: "corretto"
+          java-version: ${{ matrix.java-version }}
+
+      - name: Setup Dafny
+        uses: dafny-lang/setup-dafny-action@v1.8.0
+        with:
+          dafny-version: ${{ needs.getVersion.outputs.version }}
+
+      - name: Regenerate code using smithy-dafny if necessary
+        if: ${{ inputs.regenerate-code }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/polymorph_codegen
+        with:
+          dafny: ${{ env.DAFNY_VERSION }}
+          library: DynamoDbEncryption
+          diff-generated-code: false
+          update-and-regenerate-mpl: true
+
+      # The following two steps: "Build and deploy to maven local" and "Run Extensive Tests"
+      # mimic the tests in ./codebuild/staging/release-staging.yml
+      - name: Build and deploy to maven local
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: ./DynamoDbEncryption
+        run: |
+          # Run transpile by itself. We don't want to locally build the MPL because
+          # we want to verify that the version pulled down from maven works correctly
+          make transpile_implementation_java
+          make transpile_test_java
+          make mvn_local_deploy
+          make test_java
+
+      - name: Run Extensive Tests
+        working-directory: ./DynamoDbEncryption
+        run: |
+          gradle -p runtimes/java clean
+          gradle -p runtimes/java test
+
+      # This makes sure that we are using the correct MPL version to test the DB-ESDK.
+      # If this contains a SNAPSHOT version, this will fail because'
+      # we are NOT building the MPL recursively but pulling from Maven.
+      - name: Update project.properties to use the correct MPL version (from project.properties in DB-ESDK)
+        working-directory: ./submodules/MaterialProviders/
+        run: |
+          sed "s/mplVersion=.*/mplVersion=${{needs.getMplDependencyJavaVersion.outputs.version}}/g" project.properties > project.properties2; mv project.properties2 project.properties
+
+      # The following three steps: "Transpile MPL Test Vectors without recursively building the MPL",
+      # "Run Test Vectors", and "Test Examples" mimic the tests in ./codebuild/staging/validate-staging.yml
+      - name: Transpile MPL Test Vectors without recursively building the MPL
+        working-directory: ./submodules/MaterialProviders/TestVectorsAwsCryptographicMaterialProviders
+        run: |
+          # Run transpile by itself. We don't want to locally build the MPL because
+          # we want to verify that the version pulled down from maven works correctly
+          make transpile_implementation_java
+          make transpile_test_java
+          make mvn_local_deploy
+
+      - name: Run Test Vectors
+        if: github.event_name == 'schedule' || (github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && ${{inputs.run_test_vectors}})
+        working-directory: ./TestVectors
+        run: |
+          # Spin up ddb local
+          docker run --name dynamodb -d -p 8000:8000 amazon/dynamodb-local -jar DynamoDBLocal.jar -port 8000 -inMemory -cors *
+          # Run transpile by itself so we don't locally build the MPL.
+          make transpile_implementation_java
+          make transpile_test_java
+          gradle -p runtimes/java runTests
+
+      - name: Test Examples
+        working-directory: ./Examples
+        run: |
+          # Run Simple Examples
+          gradle -p runtimes/java/DynamoDbEncryption test
+          # Run Migration Examples
+          gradle -p runtimes/java/Migration/PlaintextToAWSDBE test
+          gradle -p runtimes/java/Migration/DDBECToAWSDBE test
diff --git a/.github/workflows/mpl_dependency_java_version.yml b/.github/workflows/mpl_dependency_java_version.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..640b82e33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/mpl_dependency_java_version.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# This workflow reads the project.properties
+# into the environment variables
+# and then creates an output variable for `mplDependencyJavaVersion`
+name: MPL Dependency Java Version
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    outputs:
+      version:
+        description: "The MPL Dependency Java version from project.properties"
+        value: ${{ jobs.getMplDependencyJavaVersion.outputs.version }}
+
+jobs:
+  getMplDependencyJavaVersion:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    outputs:
+      version: ${{ steps.read_property.outputs.mplDependencyJavaVersion }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Read version from Properties-file
+        id: read_property
+        uses: christian-draeger/read-properties@1.1.1
+        with:
+          path: "./project.properties"
+          properties: "mplDependencyJavaVersion"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/mpl_head_version.yml b/.github/workflows/mpl_head_version.yml
index 994cdaa96..0d32688fb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/mpl_head_version.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/mpl_head_version.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-# This workflow reads the project.properties
+# This workflow reads the project.properties in the MPL submodule
 # into the environment variables
-# and then creates an output variable for `dafnyVerifyVersion `
+# and then creates an output variable for `mplVersion`
 name: MPL HEAD Version
 
 on:
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ on:
         type: string
     outputs:
       version:
-        description: "The dafny version for verify"
+        description: "The MPL version"
         value: ${{ jobs.getMplHeadVersion.outputs.version }}
 
 jobs:
diff --git a/codebuild/staging/release-staging.yml b/codebuild/staging/release-staging.yml
index 1fd288949..65c824f67 100644
--- a/codebuild/staging/release-staging.yml
+++ b/codebuild/staging/release-staging.yml
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ phases:
       - aws sts get-caller-identity
   build:
     commands:
-      # Validate the MPL submodule points to the correct release
-      - scripts/validate-mpl-submodule.sh
       # Build and deploy to maven local
       - cd DynamoDbEncryption/
       - make transpile_implementation_java