diff --git a/server/events/event_parser.go b/server/events/event_parser.go
index 87cf264672..194e5344c8 100644
--- a/server/events/event_parser.go
+++ b/server/events/event_parser.go
@@ -617,15 +617,23 @@ func (e *EventParser) ParseGitlabMergeRequestEvent(event gitlab.MergeEvent) (pul
 		BaseRepo:   baseRepo,
 	}
 
-	switch event.ObjectAttributes.Action {
-	case "open":
-		eventType = models.OpenedPullEvent
-	case "update":
-		eventType = e.ParseGitlabMergeRequestUpdateEvent(event)
-	case "merge", "close":
-		eventType = models.ClosedPullEvent
-	default:
+	// If it's a draft PR we ignore it for auto-planning if configured to do so
+	// however it's still possible for users to run plan on it manually via a
+	// comment so if any draft PR is closed we still need to check if we need
+	// to delete its locks.
+	if event.ObjectAttributes.WorkInProgress && event.ObjectAttributes.Action != "close" && !e.AllowDraftPRs {
 		eventType = models.OtherPullEvent
+	} else {
+		switch event.ObjectAttributes.Action {
+		case "open":
+			eventType = models.OpenedPullEvent
+		case "update":
+			eventType = e.ParseGitlabMergeRequestUpdateEvent(event)
+		case "merge", "close":
+			eventType = models.ClosedPullEvent
+		default:
+			eventType = models.OtherPullEvent
+		}
 	}
 
 	user = models.User{
diff --git a/server/events/event_parser_test.go b/server/events/event_parser_test.go
index d3e979a473..6df7046158 100644
--- a/server/events/event_parser_test.go
+++ b/server/events/event_parser_test.go
@@ -164,11 +164,19 @@ func TestParseGithubPullEvent(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestParseGithubPullEventFromDraft(t *testing.T) {
+	// verify that close event treated as 'close' events by default
+	closeEvent := deepcopy.Copy(PullEvent).(github.PullRequestEvent)
+	closeEvent.Action = github.String("closed")
+	closeEvent.PullRequest.Draft = github.Bool(true)
+
+	_, evType, _, _, _, err := parser.ParseGithubPullEvent(&closeEvent)
+	Ok(t, err)
+	Equals(t, models.ClosedPullEvent, evType)
+
 	// verify that draft PRs are treated as 'other' events by default
 	testEvent := deepcopy.Copy(PullEvent).(github.PullRequestEvent)
-	draftPR := true
-	testEvent.PullRequest.Draft = &draftPR
-	_, evType, _, _, _, err := parser.ParseGithubPullEvent(&testEvent)
+	testEvent.PullRequest.Draft = github.Bool(true)
+	_, evType, _, _, _, err = parser.ParseGithubPullEvent(&testEvent)
 	Ok(t, err)
 	Equals(t, models.OtherPullEvent, evType)
 	// verify that drafts are planned if requested
@@ -380,6 +388,29 @@ func TestParseGitlabMergeEvent(t *testing.T) {
 	Equals(t, models.ClosedPullState, pull.State)
 }
 
+func TestParseGitlabMergeEventFromDraft(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join("testdata", "gitlab-merge-request-event.json")
+	bytes, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	Ok(t, err)
+
+	var event gitlab.MergeEvent
+	err = json.Unmarshal(bytes, &event)
+	Ok(t, err)
+
+	testEvent := deepcopy.Copy(event).(gitlab.MergeEvent)
+	testEvent.ObjectAttributes.WorkInProgress = true
+
+	_, evType, _, _, _, err := parser.ParseGitlabMergeRequestEvent(testEvent)
+	Ok(t, err)
+	Equals(t, models.OtherPullEvent, evType)
+
+	parser.AllowDraftPRs = true
+	defer func() { parser.AllowDraftPRs = false }()
+	_, evType, _, _, _, err = parser.ParseGitlabMergeRequestEvent(testEvent)
+	Ok(t, err)
+	Equals(t, models.OpenedPullEvent, evType)
+}
+
 // Should be able to parse a merge event from a repo that is in a subgroup,
 // i.e. instead of under an owner/repo it's under an owner/group/subgroup/repo.
 func TestParseGitlabMergeEvent_Subgroup(t *testing.T) {