diff --git a/cli/recipe/release.go b/cli/recipe/release.go
index f1a07d40..660de687 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/release.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/release.go
@@ -252,7 +252,14 @@ func getTagCreateOptions(tag string) (git.CreateTagOptions, error) {
 // addReleaseNotes checks if the release/next release note exists and moves the
 // file to release/<tag>.
 func addReleaseNotes(recipe recipe.Recipe, tag string) error {
-	tagReleaseNotePath := path.Join(recipe.Dir, "release", tag)
+	releaseDir := path.Join(recipe.Dir, "release")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(releaseDir); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		if err := os.Mkdir(releaseDir, 0755); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	tagReleaseNotePath := path.Join(releaseDir, tag)
 	if _, err := os.Stat(tagReleaseNotePath); err == nil {
 		// Release note for current tag already exist exists.
 		return nil
@@ -260,7 +267,7 @@ func addReleaseNotes(recipe recipe.Recipe, tag string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	nextReleaseNotePath := path.Join(recipe.Dir, "release", "next")
+	nextReleaseNotePath := path.Join(releaseDir, "next")
 	if _, err := os.Stat(nextReleaseNotePath); err == nil {
 		// release/next note exists. Move it to release/<tag>
 		if internal.Dry {