diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cd60d058..6c9f6a4d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ release-manifests: $(KUSTOMIZE) $(RELEASE_DIR) ## Builds the manifests to publis
 
 .PHONY: release-notes-tool
 release-notes-tool:
-	go build -C hack/tools -o $(BIN_DIR) -tags tools github.com/metal3-io/ip-address-manager/hack/tools/release
+	go build -C hack/tools -o $(BIN_DIR)/release -tags tools github.com/metal3-io/ip-address-manager/hack/tools/release
 
 .PHONY: release-notes
 release-notes: $(RELEASE_NOTES_DIR) $(RELEASE_NOTES) release-notes-tool
diff --git a/docs/releasing.md b/docs/releasing.md
index b00db156..44322fdd 100644
--- a/docs/releasing.md
+++ b/docs/releasing.md
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ by using following command `git remote -v`.
 - Create a new branch for the release notes**:
   `git checkout -b release-notes-1.x.x origin/main`
 
+- Fetch upstream (`metal3-io`): `git fetch upstream`
+   - This makes sure all the latest tags are accessable by the next step.
+
 - Generate the release notes: `RELEASE_TAG=v1.x.x make release-notes`
    - Replace `v1.x.x` with the new release tag you're creating.
    - This command generates the release notes here
@@ -61,9 +64,11 @@ by using following command `git remote -v`.
      release, but not overwhelming the important changes contained by the
      release.
 
-- Commit and push your changes, push the new branch and create a pull request.
+- Commit your changes, push the new  branch and create a pull request:
 IMPORTANT_NOTE:
-   - The commit and PR title should be 🚀 Release v1.x.y.
+   - The commit and PR title should be 🚀 Release v1.x.y:
+      -`git commit -S -s -m ":rocket: Release v1.x.x"`
+      -`git push -u origin release-notes-1.x.x`
    - Important! The commit should only contain the release notes file, nothing
      else, otherwise automation will not work.
 
diff --git a/hack/tools/release/notes.go b/hack/tools/release/notes.go
index 9378573a..852fa8b7 100644
--- a/hack/tools/release/notes.go
+++ b/hack/tools/release/notes.go
@@ -125,16 +125,16 @@ func isMinor(tag string) bool {
 func run() int {
 	latestTag, err := latestTag()
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal("Failed to get latestTag \n")
+		log.Fatalf("Failed to get latestTag: %v", err)
 	}
 	lastTag, err := lastTag(latestTag)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal("Failed to get lastTag \n")
+		log.Fatalf("Failed to get lastTag: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	commitHash, err := getCommitHashFromNewTag(latestTag)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Failed to get commit has from latestTag %s", latestTag)
+		log.Fatalf("Failed to get commit has from latestTag %s: %v", latestTag, err)
 	}
 
 	cmd := exec.Command("git", "rev-list", lastTag+".."+commitHash, "--merges", "--pretty=format:%B") // #nosec G204:gosec