diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9b51c8b..f6eea00 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -109,6 +109,17 @@ for the configuration object to pass as `preset`.
 - This option will be passed as the first argument to
   [`bumper.bump`](https://github.com/conventional-changelog/conventional-changelog/blob/master/packages/conventional-recommended-bump/README.md#api)
 - [Type definition for `whatBump` → look for `Preset['whatBump']`](https://github.com/conventional-changelog/conventional-changelog/blob/master/packages/conventional-recommended-bump/src/types.ts)
+- Use the `false` Boolean value to skip releasing a new version.
+
+```json
+{
+  "plugins": {
+    "@release-it/conventional-changelog": {
+      "whatBump": false
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
 
 ### `ignoreRecommendedBump`
 
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 21464b5..149f46f 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -39,22 +39,30 @@ class ConventionalChangelog extends Plugin {
     try {
       const bumper = new Bumper();
 
-      if (options.preset) bumper.loadPreset(options.preset);
+      if (options.preset) await bumper.loadPreset(options.preset).preset;
 
       if (options.tagOpts) bumper.tag(options.tagOpts);
 
       if (options.commitsOpts) bumper.commits(options.commitsOpts, options.parserOpts);
 
-      const result = await bumper.bump(options.whatBump);
+      async function getWhatBump() {
+        if (options.whatBump === false) {
+          return () => ({ releaseType: null });
+        } else {
+          const bumperPreset = await bumper.preset;
+
+          if (bumperPreset === null) return () => ({ releaseType: null });
+
+          return bumperPreset.whatBump || bumperPreset.recommendedBumpOpts.whatBump;
+        }
+      }
+
+      const result = await bumper.bump(await getWhatBump());
 
       this.debug({ result });
 
       let { releaseType } = result;
 
-      if (releaseType == undefined) {
-         return;
-      }
-
       if (increment) {
         this.log.warn(`The recommended bump is "${releaseType}", but is overridden with "${increment}".`);
         releaseType = increment;
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index de2ca83..665142a 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -370,6 +370,18 @@ test('should not bump when recommended bump returns null', async () => {
   }
 });
 
+test('should not bump when whatBump === false', async () => {
+  setup();
+  sh.exec(`git tag 1.0.0`);
+  add('fix', 'bar');
+  add('feat', 'baz');
+  {
+    const options = getOptions({ whatBump: false });
+    const { version } = await runTasks(...options);
+    assert.equal(version, undefined);
+  }
+});
+
 // TODO Prepare test and verify results influenced by parserOpts and writerOpts
 test.skip('should pass parserOpts and writerOpts', async t => {
   setup();