diff --git a/cli/recipe/release.go b/cli/recipe/release.go
index 74cc83bd..c1c0b61d 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/release.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/release.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package recipe
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"path"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -140,7 +142,7 @@ your SSH keys configured on your account.
 
 // getImageVersions retrieves image versions for a recipe
 func getImageVersions(recipe recipe.Recipe) (map[string]string, error) {
-	var services = make(map[string]string)
+	services := make(map[string]string)
 
 	missingTag := false
 	for _, service := range recipe.Config.Services {
@@ -207,6 +209,10 @@ func createReleaseFromTag(recipe recipe.Recipe, tagString, mainAppVersion string
 		tagString = fmt.Sprintf("%s+%s", tag.String(), mainAppVersion)
 	}
 
+	if err := addReleaseNotes(recipe, tagString); err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
 	if err := commitRelease(recipe, tagString); err != nil {
 		logrus.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -237,6 +243,70 @@ func getTagCreateOptions(tag string) (git.CreateTagOptions, error) {
 	return git.CreateTagOptions{Message: msg}, nil
 }
 
+// addReleaseNotes checks if the release/next release note exists and moves the
+// file to release/<tag>.
+func addReleaseNotes(recipe recipe.Recipe, tag string) error {
+	repoPath := path.Join(config.RECIPES_DIR, recipe.Name)
+	tagReleaseNotePath := path.Join(repoPath, "release", tag)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(tagReleaseNotePath); err == nil {
+		// Release note for current tag already exist exists.
+		return nil
+	} else if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	nextReleaseNotePath := path.Join(repoPath, "release", "next")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(nextReleaseNotePath); err == nil {
+		// release/next note exists. Move it to release/<tag>
+		if internal.Dry {
+			logrus.Debugf("dry run: move release note from 'next' to %s", tag)
+			return nil
+		}
+		err := os.Rename(nextReleaseNotePath, tagReleaseNotePath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		err = gitPkg.Add(repoPath, path.Join("release", "next"), internal.Dry)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		err = gitPkg.Add(repoPath, path.Join("release", tag), internal.Dry)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	} else if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// No release note exists for the current release.
+	if internal.NoInput {
+		return nil
+	}
+	prompt := &survey.Input{
+		Message: "Release Note (leave empty for no release note)",
+	}
+
+	var releaseNote string
+	if err := survey.AskOne(prompt, &releaseNote); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if releaseNote == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	err := os.WriteFile(tagReleaseNotePath, []byte(releaseNote), 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = gitPkg.Add(repoPath, path.Join("release", tag), internal.Dry)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func commitRelease(recipe recipe.Recipe, tag string) error {
 	if internal.Dry {
 		logrus.Debugf("dry run: no changes committed")
@@ -404,6 +474,10 @@ func createReleaseFromPreviousTag(tagString, mainAppVersion string, recipe recip
 		}
 	}
 
+	if err := addReleaseNotes(recipe, tagString); err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
 	if err := commitRelease(recipe, tagString); err != nil {
 		logrus.Fatalf("failed to commit changes: %s", err.Error())
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/git/add.go b/pkg/git/add.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ead6dd00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/git/add.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package git
+
+import (
+	"github.com/go-git/go-git/v5"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+)
+
+// Add adds a file to the git index.
+func Add(repoPath, path string, dryRun bool) error {
+	repo, err := git.PlainOpen(repoPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	worktree, err := repo.Worktree()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if dryRun {
+		logrus.Debug("dry run: adding %s", path)
+	} else {
+		worktree.Add(path)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/tests/integration/recipe_release.bats b/tests/integration/recipe_release.bats
index 2ebe226c..196b5e59 100644
--- a/tests/integration/recipe_release.bats
+++ b/tests/integration/recipe_release.bats
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ setup(){
 
 # NOTE(d1): relies on only 3 versions being published for the $TEST_RECIPE.
 @test "release patch bump" {
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" config --local user.email test@example.com
+  assert_success
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" config --local user.name test
+  assert_success
+
   run $ABRA recipe upgrade "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --patch
   assert_success
 
@@ -59,6 +64,11 @@ setup(){
 # version which could be anything in the future. so, we do our best with
 # --regexp.
 @test "release minor bump" {
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" config --local user.email test@example.com
+  assert_success
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" config --local user.name test
+  assert_success
+
   run $ABRA recipe upgrade "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --minor
   assert_success
 
@@ -86,6 +96,11 @@ setup(){
 }
 
 @test "unknown files not committed" {
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" config --local user.email test@example.com
+  assert_success
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" config --local user.name test
+  assert_success
+
   run $ABRA recipe upgrade "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --patch
   assert_success
 
@@ -103,3 +118,26 @@ setup(){
 
   _reset_recipe
 }
+
+# NOTE: relies on 0.2.x being the last minor version
+@test "release with next release note" {
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" config --local user.email test@example.com
+  assert_success
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" config --local user.name test
+  assert_success
+
+  run bash -c "echo 'those are some release notes for the next release' >> $ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE/release/next"
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" add release/next
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" commit -m "added some release notes"
+  assert_success
+
+  run $ABRA recipe release  "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input  --minor
+  assert_success
+  assert_output --partial 'no -p/--publish passed, not publishing'
+
+  assert_not_exists "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE/release/next"
+  assert_exists "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE/release/0.3.0+1.21.0"
+  assert_file_contains "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE/release/0.3.0+1.21.0" "those are some release notes for the next release"
+
+  _reset_recipe "$TEST_RECIPE"
+}