diff --git a/cli/app/rollback.go b/cli/app/rollback.go
index 77741dc7..1972fccd 100644
--- a/cli/app/rollback.go
+++ b/cli/app/rollback.go
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ recipes.
 		}
 
 		if !internal.Force {
-			if err := internal.NewVersionOverview(app, deployedVersion, chosenDowngrade); err != nil {
+			if err := internal.NewVersionOverview(app, deployedVersion, chosenDowngrade, ""); err != nil {
 				logrus.Fatal(err)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/cli/app/upgrade.go b/cli/app/upgrade.go
index 3fe30c63..557d408f 100644
--- a/cli/app/upgrade.go
+++ b/cli/app/upgrade.go
@@ -137,6 +137,14 @@ recipes.
 			}
 		}
 
+		// if release notes written after git tag published, read them before we
+		// check out the tag and then they'll appear to be missing. this covers
+		// when we obviously will forget to write release notes before publishing
+		releaseNotes, err := internal.GetReleaseNotes(app.Type, chosenUpgrade)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
 		if !internal.Chaos {
 			if err := recipe.EnsureVersion(app.Type, chosenUpgrade); err != nil {
 				logrus.Fatal(err)
@@ -176,7 +184,7 @@ recipes.
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		if err := internal.NewVersionOverview(app, deployedVersion, chosenUpgrade); err != nil {
+		if err := internal.NewVersionOverview(app, deployedVersion, chosenUpgrade, releaseNotes); err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
diff --git a/cli/internal/deploy.go b/cli/internal/deploy.go
index fc1f9634..da7cbd0c 100644
--- a/cli/internal/deploy.go
+++ b/cli/internal/deploy.go
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ package internal
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"path"
 	"strings"
 
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/client"
@@ -194,7 +197,7 @@ func DeployOverview(app config.App, version, message string) error {
 }
 
 // NewVersionOverview shows an upgrade or downgrade overview
-func NewVersionOverview(app config.App, currentVersion, newVersion string) error {
+func NewVersionOverview(app config.App, currentVersion, newVersion, releaseNotes string) error {
 	tableCol := []string{"server", "compose", "domain", "app name", "current version", "to be deployed"}
 	table := formatter.CreateTable(tableCol)
 
@@ -211,6 +214,21 @@ func NewVersionOverview(app config.App, currentVersion, newVersion string) error
 	table.Append([]string{server, deployConfig, app.Domain, app.StackName(), currentVersion, newVersion})
 	table.Render()
 
+	if releaseNotes == "" {
+		var err error
+		releaseNotes, err = GetReleaseNotes(app.Type, newVersion)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	if releaseNotes != "" {
+		fmt.Println()
+		fmt.Println(fmt.Sprintf("%s release notes:\n\n%s", newVersion, releaseNotes))
+	} else {
+		logrus.Warnf("no release notes available for %s", newVersion)
+	}
+
 	if NoInput {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -230,3 +248,18 @@ func NewVersionOverview(app config.App, currentVersion, newVersion string) error
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// GetReleaseNotes prints release notes for a recipe version
+func GetReleaseNotes(recipeName, version string) (string, error) {
+	fpath := path.Join(config.RECIPES_DIR, recipeName, "release", version)
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(fpath); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		releaseNotes, err := ioutil.ReadFile(fpath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		return string(releaseNotes), nil
+	}
+
+	return "", nil
+}