diff --git a/changelog/Makefile b/changelog/Makefile
index 9f88b59c9cb9..d7cd67bdace3 100644
--- a/changelog/Makefile
+++ b/changelog/Makefile
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@ generate:
 	@rm -f $(VERSION).md
 	@touch $(VERSION).md
 
-	@if [ -d "$(UNRELEASED_DIR)/kong" ]; then \
+	@if [ -d "$(UNRELEASED_DIR)/kong" ] && [ -n "$$(shopt -s nullglob; echo $(UNRELEASED_DIR)/kong/*.yml)" ] ; then \
 		if [ -f "$(VERSION)/$(VERSION).md" ]; then \
 			changelog --debug=$(DEBUG) generate \
 				--repo-path . \
 				--changelog-paths $(VERSION)/kong,$(UNRELEASED_DIR)/kong \
 				--title Kong \
-				--github-issue-repo Kong/kong \
+				--github-issue-repo $(OWNER_REPO) \
 				--github-api-repo $(OWNER_REPO) \
 				--with-jiras \
 				>> $(VERSION).md; \
@@ -63,13 +63,13 @@ generate:
 				--repo-path . \
 				--changelog-paths $(UNRELEASED_DIR)/kong \
 				--title Kong \
-				--github-issue-repo Kong/kong \
+				--github-issue-repo $(OWNER_REPO) \
 				--github-api-repo $(OWNER_REPO) \
 				--with-jiras \
 				>> $(VERSION).md; \
 		fi \
 	fi
-	@if [ -d "$(UNRELEASED_DIR)/kong-manager" ]; then \
+	@if [ -d "$(UNRELEASED_DIR)/kong-manager" ] && [ -n "$$(shopt -s nullglob; echo $(UNRELEASED_DIR)/kong-manager/*.yml)" ] ; then \
 		if [ -f "$(VERSION)/$(VERSION).md" ]; then \
 			changelog --debug=$(DEBUG) generate \
 				--repo-path . \
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ push_changelog:
 		mkdir -p $(VERSION)/$$i ; \
 		git mv -k $(UNRELEASED_DIR)/$$i/*.yml $(VERSION)/$$i/ ; \
 		touch $(UNRELEASED_DIR)/$$i/.gitkeep ; \
+		touch $(VERSION)/$$i/.gitkeep ; \
 	done
 	@git add .
 	@git commit -m "docs(release): genereate $(VERSION) changelog"