diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 96730d93..216bff7f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -47,15 +47,30 @@ jobs:
           mkdir -p _dist
           cp ./deployments/workloads/runtime.yaml _dist/runtime.yaml
           cp ./deployments/workloads/workload.yaml _dist/workload.yaml
-
+      
+      - name: extract changelog
+        run: |
+          TAG_NAME=${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}
+          cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE
+          ./scripts/extract-changelog.sh $TAG_NAME > RELEASE_NOTES.md
+          cat RELEASE_NOTES.md
+  
       - name: create release
         if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
+          TAG_NAME=${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}
+          if [[ "$TAG_NAME" =~ .+-pre.* ]]; then
+            PRERELEASE_ARGS="--prerelease --latest=false"
+          else
+            PRERELEASE_ARGS=""
+          fi
           gh release create ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }} \
-            --generate-notes \
-            -p \
+            --notes-file RELEASE_NOTES.md \
+            --title ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }} \
+            --verify-tag
+            $PRERELEASE_ARGS \
             _dist/runtime.yaml#example-runtimes \
             _dist/workload.yaml#example-workloads \
 
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..172d4833
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Changelog
+
+The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/), and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
+
+## [Unreleased] - YYYY-MM-DD
+
+### Added
+
+- Added MQTT trigger and tests ([#175](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/175))
+- Make container environment variables accessible as application variables ([#149](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/149))
+- Added feature to conditionally restart the k0s controller service when present during node installation. ([#167](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/167))
+
+### Changed
+
+- Updated the minimum required Rust version to 1.79 ([#191](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/191))
+- Refactored the shim code by splitting it into different modules ([#185](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/185))
+- Refactored the Makefile to improve its structure and comments([#171](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/171))
+- Merged two Redis trigger test apps into one ([#176](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/176))
+- Simplified the run command in the documentation ([#184](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/184))
+-  Modified Dependabot settings to group patch-level dependency updates ([#162](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/162))
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Correct currently supported triggers ([#182](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/182))
+- Fixed an error in `setup-linux.sh` script ([#184](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/184))
+- Updated outdated links to `spinkube.dev` ([#170](https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/pull/170))
+
+---
+
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/spinkube/containerd-shim-spin/compare/v0.15.1...HEAD
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/release.md b/release.md
index 59df5aed..aa90a78b 100644
--- a/release.md
+++ b/release.md
@@ -8,14 +8,21 @@ following:
    commit selected to be tagged and released.
 
 1. Change all references of the version number in package
-   [Cargo.toml](./Cargo.toml), crate
-   [Cargo.toml](./containerd-shim-spin/Cargo.toml),
-   [quickstart](./containerd-shim-spin/quickstart.md), [README](./README.md),
-   [deployments](./deployments/), and [images](./images/). Run `cargo build
+   
+   * [Cargo.toml](./Cargo.toml), 
+   * crate [Cargo.toml](./containerd-shim-spin/Cargo.toml),
+   * [quickstart](./containerd-shim-spin/quickstart.md), 
+   * [README](./README.md),
+   * [deployments](./deployments/), 
+   * [images](./images/). 
+   * [CHANGELOG.md](./CHANGELOG.md) the Unreleased section should be updated with the new version number and the date of the release. Update the links to new version tag in the footer of CHANGELOG.md
+   
+   Run `cargo build
    --release` to make sure lockfiles reflect Cargo.toml updates. Add a new
    column to the [README shim and Spin version
    map](./README.md#shim-and-spin-version-map) that lists the version of the
    Spin dependencies for the release.
+   
 
 1. Create a pull request with these changes and merge once approved.
 
diff --git a/scripts/extract-changelog.sh b/scripts/extract-changelog.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..58b1c5e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/extract-changelog.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Inspired by https://stackoverflow.com/questions/40450238/parse-a-changelog-and-extract-changes-for-a-version
+# This script will extract the changelog for a specific version from the CHANGELOG.md file
+# Usage: ./extract-changelog.sh <version>
+version=$1
+
+awk -v ver="$version" '
+/^## \[.*\]/ {
+  if (p) exit
+  if ($0 ~ "^## \\[" ver "\\]") { p=1; next }
+}
+p' CHANGELOG.md
\ No newline at end of file