diff --git a/pipeline/release/release.go b/pipeline/release/release.go
index 13adee1e2..90081c4c9 100644
--- a/pipeline/release/release.go
+++ b/pipeline/release/release.go
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ func (Pipe) Default(ctx *context.Context) error {
 		ctx.Config.Release.NameTemplate = "{{.Tag}}"
 	}
 	if ctx.Config.Release.GitHub.Name != "" {
+		if ctx.Config.ProjectName == "" {
+			ctx.Config.ProjectName = ctx.Config.Release.GitHub.Name
+		}
 		return nil
 	}
 	repo, err := remoteRepo()
diff --git a/pipeline/release/release_test.go b/pipeline/release/release_test.go
index 1314cec85..3dccebe4b 100644
--- a/pipeline/release/release_test.go
+++ b/pipeline/release/release_test.go
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ func TestDefaultFilled(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	assert.NoError(t, Pipe{}.Default(ctx))
+	assert.Equal(t, "foo", ctx.Config.ProjectName)
 	assert.Equal(t, "foo", ctx.Config.Release.GitHub.Name)
 	assert.Equal(t, "bar", ctx.Config.Release.GitHub.Owner)
 }