diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f02892
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Release Notes
+Another day, another release. These are the release notes for the version `v0.7.0`.
+
+## Refactor
+* refactor: update lw-scanner docker image (Salim Afiune Maya)([44a662b](https://github.com/lacework/lw-scanner-action/commit/44a662bcc4af2069129ec00ea3a2f0852b666002))
+## Other Changes
+* chore: add release tooling to project (ipcrm)([ec203ad](https://github.com/lacework/lw-scanner-action/commit/ec203adfa2ec16b4768832ba6b3579b39b2721af))
+* chore(docs): update documentation and reorg after org move (ipcrm)([8a11419](https://github.com/lacework/lw-scanner-action/commit/8a114198c7278d6f4f999ecdb4d0dd559c9e194c))
+* ci: add nightly builds (Salim Afiune Maya)([e5b0c8d](https://github.com/lacework/lw-scanner-action/commit/e5b0c8d1f9ac0b5418ac23b53e49999bf6ff96f1))
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index c9c266d..34e74bd 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ generate_release_notes() {
 push_release() {
   log "commiting and pushing the release to github"
   _version_no_tag=$(echo $VERSION | awk -F. '{printf("%d.%d.%d", $1, $2, $3)}')
-  if [ "$CI" != "" ]; then
+  if [ "$CI:-" != "" ]; then
     git config --global user.email $git_email
     git config --global user.name $git_user
     git config --global user.signingkey $GPG_SIGNING_KEY