diff --git a/cmd/githubPublishRelease.go b/cmd/githubPublishRelease.go
index 70c8b2395..741d059ec 100644
--- a/cmd/githubPublishRelease.go
+++ b/cmd/githubPublishRelease.go
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ func runGithubPublishRelease(ctx context.Context, config *githubPublishReleaseOp
 
 	lastRelease, resp, err := ghRepoClient.GetLatestRelease(ctx, config.Owner, config.Repository)
 	if err != nil {
-		if resp.StatusCode == 404 {
+		if resp != nil && resp.StatusCode == 404 {
 			//no previous release found -> first release
 			config.AddDeltaToLastRelease = false
 			log.Entry().Debug("This is the first release.")
 		} else {
-			return errors.Wrap(err, "Error occured when retrieving latest GitHub release.")
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "Error occured when retrieving latest GitHub release (%v/%v)", config.Owner, config.Repository)
 		}
 	}
 	publishedAt = lastRelease.GetPublishedAt()
diff --git a/cmd/githubPublishRelease_test.go b/cmd/githubPublishRelease_test.go
index 2bcaed970..e72468e93 100644
--- a/cmd/githubPublishRelease_test.go
+++ b/cmd/githubPublishRelease_test.go
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ func (g *ghRCMock) GetLatestRelease(ctx context.Context, owner string, repo stri
 	if g.latestStatusCode != 0 {
 		hc.StatusCode = g.latestStatusCode
 	}
+
+	if len(owner) == 0 {
+		return g.latestRelease, nil, g.latestErr
+	}
+
 	ghResp := github.Response{Response: &hc}
 	return g.latestRelease, &ghResp, g.latestErr
 }
@@ -188,10 +193,27 @@ func TestRunGithubPublishRelease(t *testing.T) {
 		ghRepoClient := ghRCMock{
 			latestErr: fmt.Errorf("Latest release error"),
 		}
-		myGithubPublishReleaseOptions := githubPublishReleaseOptions{}
+		myGithubPublishReleaseOptions := githubPublishReleaseOptions{
+			Owner:      "TEST",
+			Repository: "test",
+		}
 		err := runGithubPublishRelease(ctx, &myGithubPublishReleaseOptions, &ghRepoClient, &ghIssueClient)
 
-		assert.Equal(t, "Error occured when retrieving latest GitHub release.: Latest release error", fmt.Sprint(err))
+		assert.Equal(t, "Error occured when retrieving latest GitHub release (TEST/test): Latest release error", fmt.Sprint(err))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("Error - get release no response", func(t *testing.T) {
+		ghIssueClient := ghICMock{}
+		ghRepoClient := ghRCMock{
+			latestErr: fmt.Errorf("Latest release error, no response"),
+		}
+		myGithubPublishReleaseOptions := githubPublishReleaseOptions{
+			Owner:      "",
+			Repository: "test",
+		}
+		err := runGithubPublishRelease(ctx, &myGithubPublishReleaseOptions, &ghRepoClient, &ghIssueClient)
+
+		assert.Equal(t, "Error occured when retrieving latest GitHub release (/test): Latest release error, no response", fmt.Sprint(err))
 	})
 
 	t.Run("Error - create release", func(t *testing.T) {