diff --git a/packages/cli/src/parse-args.ts b/packages/cli/src/parse-args.ts
index 1f439d8654..8aa0286241 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/parse-args.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/parse-args.ts
@@ -131,7 +131,8 @@ const url: Option = {
 const noVersionPrefix: Option = {
   name: 'no-version-prefix',
   type: Boolean,
-  description: "Use the version as the tag without the 'v' prefix. WARNING: some plugins might need extra config to use this option (ex: npm)",
+  description:
+    "Use the version as the tag without the 'v' prefix. WARNING: some plugins might need extra config to use this option (ex: npm)",
   group: 'main'
 };
 
@@ -455,6 +456,7 @@ export const commands: Command[] = [
     `,
     examples: [
       '{green $} auto canary',
+      '{green $} auto canary --force',
       '{green $} auto canary --pr 123 --build 5',
       '{green $} auto canary --message "Install PR version: `yarn add -D my-project@%v`"',
       '{green $} auto canary --message false'
@@ -477,6 +479,13 @@ export const commands: Command[] = [
         ...message,
         description:
           "Message to comment on PR with. Defaults to 'Published PR with canary version: %v'. Pass false to disable the comment"
+      },
+      {
+        name: 'force',
+        type: Boolean,
+        group: 'main',
+        description:
+          'Force a canary release, even if the PR is marked to skip the release'
       }
     ]
   },
diff --git a/packages/core/src/auto-args.ts b/packages/core/src/auto-args.ts
index 74019e44d0..9bc216cec2 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/auto-args.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/auto-args.ts
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@ export interface ICanaryOptions {
   build?: number;
   /** The message used when attaching the canary version to a PR */
   message?: string | 'false';
+  /** Always deploy a canary, even if the PR is marked as skip release */
+  force?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface INextOptions {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/auto.ts b/packages/core/src/auto.ts
index 54c402a59e..6ef8d2e7cd 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/auto.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/auto.ts
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ export default class Auto {
       return { hasError: false };
     }
 
-    const [, gitVersion = ''] = await on(execPromise('git', ['--version']))
+    const [, gitVersion = ''] = await on(execPromise('git', ['--version']));
     const [noProject, project] = await on(this.git.getProject());
     const repo = (await this.getRepo(this.config!)) || {};
     const repoLink = link(`${repo.owner}/${repo.repo}`, project?.html_url!);
@@ -981,9 +981,19 @@ export default class Auto {
     const from = (await this.git.shaExists('HEAD^')) ? 'HEAD^' : 'HEAD';
     const head = await this.release.getCommitsInRelease(from);
     const labels = head.map(commit => commit.labels);
-    const version =
-      calculateSemVerBump(labels, this.semVerLabels!, this.config) ||
-      SEMVER.patch;
+    const version = calculateSemVerBump(
+      labels,
+      this.semVerLabels!,
+      this.config
+    );
+
+    if (version === SEMVER.noVersion && !options.force) {
+      this.logger.log.info(
+        'Skipping canary release due to PR being specifying no release. Use `auto canary --force` to override this setting'
+      );
+      return;
+    }
+
     let canaryVersion = '';
     let newVersion = '';