diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index fbb4425..541d0ef 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ class TestRelease(unittest.TestCase):
             runner.invoke(cli, ['init'])  # create the changelog
             runner.invoke(cli, ['entry', '-b', 'entry number 1'])
 
-            result = runner.invoke(cli, ['release', '1.0.0', '-c'], input='y\n')
+            result = runner.invoke(cli, ['release', 'Version 1.0.0', '-c'], input='y\n')
             check_result(self, result)
             self.assertIn('Created commit', result.output)
             self.assertIn('Created tag', result.output)
diff --git a/yaclog/cli/__main__.py b/yaclog/cli/__main__.py
index 22a3e56..08c1547 100644
--- a/yaclog/cli/__main__.py
+++ b/yaclog/cli/__main__.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import os.path
 import click
 import git
 
+import version
 import yaclog.version
 from yaclog.changelog import Changelog
 
@@ -267,7 +268,11 @@ def release(obj: Changelog, version_name, rel_seg, pre_seg, commit):
         else:
             commit = repo.head.commit
 
-        repo_tag = repo.create_tag(cur_version.name, ref=commit, message=cur_version.body(False))
+        short_version, *_ = version.extract_version(cur_version.name)
+        if not short_version:
+            short_version = cur_version.name.replace(' ', '-')
+
+        repo_tag = repo.create_tag(short_version, ref=commit, message=cur_version.body(False))
         click.echo(f"Created tag {click.style(repo_tag.name, fg='green')}.")