diff --git a/bin/git-release b/bin/git-release
index a5ff60b..78549af 100755
--- a/bin/git-release
+++ b/bin/git-release
@@ -9,12 +9,26 @@ hook() {
 }
 
 if test $# -gt 0; then
+  version=$1
+  shift #remove version from arguments list
+  remote=''
   hook pre-release
-  echo "... releasing $1"
-  git commit -a -m "Release $1"
-  git tag $1 -a -m "Release $1" \
-    && git push $2 \
-    && git push $2 --tags \
+  echo "... releasing $version"
+  # check for flags
+  while test $# != 0
+  do
+    case "$1" in
+    -c) git-changelog -t "$version" ;;
+    -r) remote=$2; shift ;;
+    --) shift; break;;
+    *)  usage ;;
+    esac
+    shift
+  done
+  git commit -a -m "Release $version"
+  git tag $version -a -m "Release $version" \
+    && git push $remote \
+    && git push $remote --tags \
     && hook post-release \
     && echo "... complete"
 else
diff --git a/man/git-release.1 b/man/git-release.1
index 796d555..77162cb 100644
--- a/man/git-release.1
+++ b/man/git-release.1
@@ -7,10 +7,11 @@
 \fBgit\-release\fR \- Commit, tag and push changes to the repository
 .
 .SH "SYNOPSIS"
-\fBgit\-release\fR <tagname> [<remote>]
+\fBgit\-release\fR <tagname> [-c] [-r <remote>]
 .
 .SH "DESCRIPTION"
-Commits changes with message "Release <tagname>", tags with the given <tagname> and pushes the branch / tags\.
+Commits changes with message "Release <tagname>", tags with the given <tagname> and pushes the branch / tags\. 
+Optionally it generates a changelog (see git-changelog) and a remote can be defined\. The order of first -c or -r does not matter\.
 .
 .SH "OPTIONS"
 <tagname>
@@ -19,7 +20,13 @@ Commits changes with message "Release <tagname>", tags with the given <tagname>
 The name of the newly created tag\. Also used in tag comment\.
 .
 .P
-<remote>
+-c
+.
+.P
+Generates or populates the changelog with all commit message since the last tag. For more info see git-changelog.\.
+.
+.P
+-r <remote>
 .
 .P
 The "remote" repository that is destination of a push operation: it is passed to git push\.
@@ -33,10 +40,16 @@ Release commit with the given <tagname>\.
 $ git release 0\.1\.0
 .
 .IP "\(bu" 4
+Release commit with the given <tagname> and populate changelog\.
+.
+.IP
+$ git release 0\.1\.0 -c
+.
+.IP "\(bu" 4
 Release commit with the given <tagname> and push to specific remote\.
 .
 .IP
-$ git release 0\.1\.0 github
+$ git release 0\.1\.0 -r github
 .
 .IP "" 0
 .
diff --git a/man/git-release.md b/man/git-release.md
index 7ae43c6..44c2938 100644
--- a/man/git-release.md
+++ b/man/git-release.md
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@ git-release(1) -- Commit, tag and push changes to the repository
 
 ## SYNOPSIS
 
-`git-release` &lt;tagname&gt; [&lt;remote&gt;]
+`git-release` &lt;tagname&gt; [-r &lt;remote&gt;] [-c]
 
 ## DESCRIPTION
 
   Commits changes with message "Release &lt;tagname&gt;", tags with the given &lt;tagname&gt; and pushes the branch / tags.
+  Optionally it generates a changelog (see git-changelog) and a remote can be defined. The order of first -c or -r does not matter.
 
 ## OPTIONS
 
@@ -15,9 +16,13 @@ git-release(1) -- Commit, tag and push changes to the repository
 
   The name of the newly created tag. Also used in tag comment.
 
-  &lt;remote&gt;
+  -r &lt;remote&gt;
 
   The "remote" repository that is destination of a push operation: it is passed to git push.
+  
+  -c
+  
+  Generates or populates the changelog with all commit message since the last tag. For more info see git-changelog..
 
 ## EXAMPLES
 
@@ -27,11 +32,20 @@ git-release(1) -- Commit, tag and push changes to the repository
 
   * Release commit with the given &lt;tagname&gt; and push to specific remote.
 
-    $ git release 0.1.0 github
+    $ git release 0.1.0 -r github
+    
+  * Release commit with the given &lt;tagname&gt; and populate changelog.
+
+    $ git release 0.1.0 -c
+    
+  * Release commit with the given &lt;tagname&gt;, populate changelog, and push to specific remote.
+
+    $ git release 0.1.0 -r github -c
 
 ## AUTHOR
 
 Written by Tj Holowaychuk &lt;<tj@vision-media.ca>&gt;
+Extended by David Hartmann &lt;<dh@tsl.io>&gt;
 
 ## REPORTING BUGS