diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/CreateReleaseCandidate/hooks/useCreateReleaseCandidate.test.tsx b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/CreateReleaseCandidate/hooks/useCreateReleaseCandidate.test.tsx
index 8cfcb04ed9..d8703e0278 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/CreateReleaseCandidate/hooks/useCreateReleaseCandidate.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/CreateReleaseCandidate/hooks/useCreateReleaseCandidate.test.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
-import React from 'react';
 import { renderHook, act } from '@testing-library/react-hooks';
 import { waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
 
@@ -28,9 +27,8 @@ import {
 import { useCreateReleaseCandidate } from './useCreateReleaseCandidate';
 
 jest.mock('@backstage/core', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('@backstage/core'),
   useApi: () => mockApiClient,
-  createApiRef: jest.fn(),
-  Progress: (props: Record<string, any>) => <div {...props} />,
 }));
 jest.mock('../../../contexts/UserContext', () => ({
   useUserContext: () => ({ user: mockUser }),
@@ -78,7 +76,7 @@ describe('useCreateReleaseCandidate', () => {
         "progress": 100,
         "responseSteps": Array [
           Object {
-            "link": "latestCommit.html_url",
+            "link": "https://latestCommit.html_url",
             "message": "Fetched latest commit from \\"mock_defaultBranch\\"",
             "secondaryMessage": "with message \\"latestCommit.commit.message\\"",
           },
@@ -95,12 +93,12 @@ describe('useCreateReleaseCandidate', () => {
             "secondaryMessage": "with ref \\"mock_createRef_ref\\"",
           },
           Object {
-            "link": "mock_compareCommits_html_url",
+            "link": "https://mock_compareCommits_html_url",
             "message": "Fetched commit comparison",
             "secondaryMessage": "rc/2020.01.01_1...rc/2020.01.01_1",
           },
           Object {
-            "link": "mock_createRelease_html_url",
+            "link": "https://mock_createRelease_html_url",
             "message": "Created Release Candidate \\"mock_createRelease_name\\"",
             "secondaryMessage": "with tag \\"rc-2020.01.01_1\\"",
           },
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Features.test.tsx b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Features.test.tsx
index 078e6fabdb..7e2428b6bc 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Features.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Features.test.tsx
@@ -22,13 +22,8 @@ import { mockApiClient, mockCalverProject } from '../test-helpers/test-helpers';
 import { TEST_IDS } from '../test-helpers/test-ids';
 
 jest.mock('@backstage/core', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('@backstage/core'),
   useApi: () => mockApiClient,
-  createApiRef: jest.fn(),
-  ErrorBoundary: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => (
-    <>{children}</>
-  ),
-  InfoCard: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
-  Progress: (props: Record<string, any>) => <div {...props} />,
 }));
 jest.mock('../contexts/ProjectContext', () => ({
   useProjectContext: () => ({
@@ -55,7 +50,7 @@ describe('Features', () => {
 
     expect(getByTestId(TEST_IDS.info.info)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
       <div
-        class="MuiBox-root MuiBox-root-2"
+        class="MuiBox-root MuiBox-root-9"
         data-testid="grm--info"
       >
         <h6
@@ -75,6 +70,7 @@ describe('Features', () => {
             class="MuiTypography-root MuiLink-root MuiLink-underlineHover MuiTypography-colorPrimary"
             href="https://docs.github.com/en/github/administering-a-repository/managing-releases-in-a-repository"
             target="_blank"
+            to="https://docs.github.com/en/github/administering-a-repository/managing-releases-in-a-repository"
           >
             Git releases
           </a>
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Info/Info.tsx b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Info/Info.tsx
index 2bd31fa25a..670452a032 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Info/Info.tsx
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Info/Info.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  */
 
 import React, { useState } from 'react';
-import { Link, Typography, Button, Box } from '@material-ui/core';
+import { Typography, Button, Box } from '@material-ui/core';
 import BarChartIcon from '@material-ui/icons/BarChart';
 
 import {
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import { Stats } from '../Stats/Stats';
 import { TEST_IDS } from '../../test-helpers/test-ids';
 import { useProjectContext } from '../../contexts/ProjectContext';
 import flowImage from './flow.png';
+import { Link } from '@backstage/core';
 
 interface InfoCardProps {
   releaseBranch: GetBranchResult['branch'] | null;
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ export const Info = ({
           <strong>Git</strong>: The source control system where releases reside
           in a practical sense. Read more about{' '}
           <Link
-            href="https://docs.github.com/en/github/administering-a-repository/managing-releases-in-a-repository"
+            to="https://docs.github.com/en/github/administering-a-repository/managing-releases-in-a-repository"
             target="_blank"
           >
             Git releases
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/PatchBody.test.tsx b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/PatchBody.test.tsx
index bd04df9847..e9dc978845 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/PatchBody.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/PatchBody.test.tsx
@@ -30,9 +30,8 @@ import { PatchBody } from './PatchBody';
 import { TEST_IDS } from '../../test-helpers/test-ids';
 
 jest.mock('@backstage/core', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('@backstage/core'),
   useApi: () => mockApiClient,
-  createApiRef: jest.fn(),
-  Progress: (props: Record<string, any>) => <div {...props} />,
 }));
 jest.mock('../../contexts/ProjectContext', () => ({
   useProjectContext: () => ({
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/PatchBody.tsx b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/PatchBody.tsx
index 85e62f4610..6f0f88ae46 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/PatchBody.tsx
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/PatchBody.tsx
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import {
   Button,
   Checkbox,
   IconButton,
-  Link,
   List,
   ListItem,
   ListItemIcon,
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ import {
 } from '@material-ui/core';
 import FileCopyIcon from '@material-ui/icons/FileCopy';
 import OpenInNewIcon from '@material-ui/icons/OpenInNew';
-import { Progress, useApi } from '@backstage/core';
+import { Link, Progress, useApi } from '@backstage/core';
 
 import {
   GetBranchResult,
@@ -230,18 +229,20 @@ export const PatchBody = ({
                       <>
                         <Link
                           color="primary"
-                          href={commit.htmlUrl}
+                          to={commit.htmlUrl}
                           target="_blank"
                         >
                           {commit.sha}
                         </Link>{' '}
-                        <Link
-                          color="primary"
-                          href={commit.author.htmlUrl}
-                          target="_blank"
-                        >
-                          @{commit.author.login}
-                        </Link>
+                        {commit.author.htmlUrl && (
+                          <Link
+                            color="primary"
+                            to={commit.author.htmlUrl}
+                            target="_blank"
+                          >
+                            @{commit.author.login}
+                          </Link>
+                        )}
                       </>
                     }
                   />
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/hooks/usePatch.test.ts b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/hooks/usePatch.test.ts
index 1a343cb51c..95f3e787fd 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/hooks/usePatch.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Patch/hooks/usePatch.test.ts
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ import {
 import { usePatch } from './usePatch';
 
 jest.mock('@backstage/core', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('@backstage/core'),
   useApi: () => mockApiClient,
-  createApiRef: jest.fn(),
 }));
 jest.mock('../../../contexts/UserContext', () => ({
   useUserContext: () => ({ user: mockUser }),
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ describe('patch', () => {
         "progress": 100,
         "responseSteps": Array [
           Object {
-            "link": "mock_branch_links_html",
+            "link": "https://mock_branch_links_html",
             "message": "Fetched release branch \\"rc/1.2.3\\"",
           },
           Object {
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ describe('patch', () => {
             "message": "Forced branch \\"rc/2020.01.01_1\\" to temporary commit \\"mock_commit_sha\\"",
           },
           Object {
-            "link": "mock_merge_html_url",
+            "link": "https://mock_merge_html_url",
             "message": "Merged temporary commit into \\"rc/2020.01.01_1\\"",
             "secondaryMessage": "with message \\"mock_merge_commit_message\\"",
           },
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ describe('patch', () => {
             "secondaryMessage": "for tag object \\"mock_tag_object_tag\\"",
           },
           Object {
-            "link": "mock_update_release_html_url",
+            "link": "https://mock_update_release_html_url",
             "message": "Updated release \\"mock_update_release_name\\"",
             "secondaryMessage": "with tag mock_update_release_tag_name",
           },
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/PromoteRc/hooks/usePromoteRc.test.ts b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/PromoteRc/hooks/usePromoteRc.test.ts
index ba0f4421a6..1c4e794227 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/PromoteRc/hooks/usePromoteRc.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/PromoteRc/hooks/usePromoteRc.test.ts
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ import {
 import { usePromoteRc } from './usePromoteRc';
 
 jest.mock('@backstage/core', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('@backstage/core'),
   useApi: () => mockApiClient,
-  createApiRef: jest.fn(),
 }));
 jest.mock('../../../contexts/ProjectContext', () => ({
   useProjectContext: () => ({
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ describe('usePromoteRc', () => {
             "secondaryMessage": "with ref \\"mock_createRef_ref\\"",
           },
           Object {
-            "link": "mock_update_release_html_url",
+            "link": "https://mock_update_release_html_url",
             "message": "Promoted \\"mock_update_release_name\\"",
             "secondaryMessage": "from \\"rc-2020.01.01_1\\" to \\"mock_update_release_tag_name\\"",
           },
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/RepoDetailsForm/Owner.test.tsx b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/RepoDetailsForm/Owner.test.tsx
index 9bd524fccd..bbe2e23e06 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/RepoDetailsForm/Owner.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/RepoDetailsForm/Owner.test.tsx
@@ -34,9 +34,8 @@ jest.mock('react-router', () => ({
   })),
 }));
 jest.mock('@backstage/core', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('@backstage/core'),
   useApi: () => mockApiClient,
-  createApiRef: jest.fn(),
-  Progress: (props: Record<string, any>) => <div {...props} />,
 }));
 jest.mock('../../contexts/ProjectContext', () => ({
   useProjectContext: jest.fn(() => ({
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/RepoDetailsForm/Repo.test.tsx b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/RepoDetailsForm/Repo.test.tsx
index 574f7b5367..fe942d6c54 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/RepoDetailsForm/Repo.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/RepoDetailsForm/Repo.test.tsx
@@ -33,9 +33,8 @@ jest.mock('react-router', () => ({
   })),
 }));
 jest.mock('@backstage/core', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('@backstage/core'),
   useApi: () => mockApiClient,
-  createApiRef: jest.fn(),
-  Progress: (props: Record<string, any>) => <div {...props} />,
 }));
 jest.mock('../../contexts/ProjectContext', () => ({
   useProjectContext: jest.fn(() => ({
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Stats/Row/Row.tsx b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Stats/Row/Row.tsx
index 23ce55a898..1d6e298df0 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Stats/Row/Row.tsx
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/features/Stats/Row/Row.tsx
@@ -19,13 +19,13 @@ import { DateTime } from 'luxon';
 import {
   Collapse,
   IconButton,
-  Link,
   makeStyles,
   TableCell,
   TableRow,
 } from '@material-ui/core';
 import KeyboardArrowDownIcon from '@material-ui/icons/KeyboardArrowDown';
 import ChevronRightIcon from '@material-ui/icons/ChevronRight';
+import { Link } from '@backstage/core';
 
 import { ReleaseStats } from '../contexts/ReleaseStatsContext';
 import { RowCollapsed } from './RowCollapsed/RowCollapsed';
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export function Row({ baseVersion, releaseStat }: RowProps) {
         </TableCell>
 
         <TableCell component="th" scope="row">
-          <Link href={releaseStat.htmlUrl} target="_blank">
+          <Link to={releaseStat.htmlUrl} target="_blank">
             {baseVersion}
             {releaseStat.versions.length === 0 ? ' (prerelease)' : ''}
           </Link>
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/hooks/useGetGitBatchInfo.test.ts b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/hooks/useGetGitBatchInfo.test.ts
index 627ede5920..3eae247cb9 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/hooks/useGetGitBatchInfo.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/hooks/useGetGitBatchInfo.test.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ describe('useGetHubBatchInfo', () => {
       useGetGitBatchInfo({
         pluginApiClient: mockApiClient,
         project: mockSemverProject,
-        refetchTrigger: 1337,
       }),
     );
 
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ describe('useGetHubBatchInfo', () => {
         "loading": false,
         "value": Object {
           "latestRelease": Object {
-            "htmlUrl": "mock_release_html_url",
+            "htmlUrl": "https://mock_release_html_url",
             "id": 1,
             "prerelease": false,
             "tagName": "rc-2020.01.01_1",
@@ -55,7 +54,7 @@ describe('useGetHubBatchInfo', () => {
               "sha": "mock_branch_commit_sha",
             },
             "links": Object {
-              "html": "mock_branch_links_html",
+              "html": "https://mock_branch_links_html",
             },
             "name": "rc/1.2.3",
           },
@@ -76,7 +75,6 @@ describe('useGetHubBatchInfo', () => {
       useGetGitBatchInfo({
         pluginApiClient: mockApiClient,
         project: mockSemverProject,
-        refetchTrigger: 1337,
       }),
     );
 
diff --git a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/test-helpers/test-helpers.ts b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/test-helpers/test-helpers.ts
index b824107748..09c90d3f76 100644
--- a/plugins/git-release-manager/src/test-helpers/test-helpers.ts
+++ b/plugins/git-release-manager/src/test-helpers/test-helpers.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export const createMockCommit = (
     commit: {
       message: 'mock_commit_commit_message',
     },
-    htmlUrl: 'mock_commit_html_url',
+    htmlUrl: 'https://mock_commit_html_url',
     sha: 'mock_commit_sha',
     createdAt: '2000-01-01T10:00:00.000Z',
     ...overrides,
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ const createMockRelease = ({
   NonNullable<GetLatestReleaseResult['latestRelease']>
 > = {}): NonNullable<GetLatestReleaseResult['latestRelease']> => ({
   id,
-  htmlUrl: 'mock_release_html_url',
+  htmlUrl: 'https://mock_release_html_url',
   prerelease,
   tagName: MOCK_RELEASE_CANDIDATE_TAG_NAME_CALVER,
   targetCommitish: MOCK_RELEASE_BRANCH_NAME_CALVER,
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ const createMockBranch = ({
     },
   },
   links: {
-    html: 'mock_branch_links_html',
+    html: 'https://mock_branch_links_html',
   },
   ...rest,
 });
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ const createMockRecentCommit = ({
   ...rest
 }: Partial<GetRecentCommitsResultSingle>): GetRecentCommitsResultSingle => ({
   author: {
-    htmlUrl: 'author_html_url',
+    htmlUrl: 'https://author_html_url',
     login: 'author_login',
   },
   commit: {
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ const createMockRecentCommit = ({
   },
   sha: 'mock_sha',
   firstParentSha: 'mock_first_parent_sha',
-  htmlUrl: 'mock_htmlUrl',
+  htmlUrl: 'https://mock_htmlUrl',
   ...rest,
 });
 
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ export const mockApiClient: GitReleaseApi = {
   getCommit: jest.fn(async () => ({
     commit: {
       sha: 'latestCommit.sha',
-      htmlUrl: 'latestCommit.html_url',
+      htmlUrl: 'https://latestCommit.html_url',
       commit: {
         message: 'latestCommit.commit.message',
       },
@@ -271,14 +271,14 @@ export const mockApiClient: GitReleaseApi = {
   createRelease: jest.fn(async () => ({
     release: {
       name: 'mock_createRelease_name',
-      htmlUrl: 'mock_createRelease_html_url',
+      htmlUrl: 'https://mock_createRelease_html_url',
       tagName: 'mock_createRelease_tag_name',
     },
   })),
 
   getComparison: jest.fn(async () => ({
     comparison: {
-      htmlUrl: 'mock_compareCommits_html_url',
+      htmlUrl: 'https://mock_compareCommits_html_url',
       aheadBy: 1,
     },
   })),
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ export const mockApiClient: GitReleaseApi = {
 
   merge: jest.fn(async () => ({
     merge: {
-      htmlUrl: 'mock_merge_html_url',
+      htmlUrl: 'https://mock_merge_html_url',
       commit: {
         message: 'mock_merge_commit_message',
         tree: {
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ export const mockApiClient: GitReleaseApi = {
     release: {
       name: 'mock_update_release_name',
       tagName: 'mock_update_release_tag_name',
-      htmlUrl: 'mock_update_release_html_url',
+      htmlUrl: 'https://mock_update_release_html_url',
     },
   })),
 
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ export const mockApiClient: GitReleaseApi = {
         name: 'mock_release_name',
         tagName: 'mock_release_tag_name',
         createdAt: 'mock_release_published_at',
-        htmlUrl: 'mock_release_html_url',
+        htmlUrl: 'https://mock_release_html_url',
       },
     ],
   })),