diff --git a/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go b/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go
index 5c91eed9b..2394804ff 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package create
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
@@ -48,6 +49,8 @@ type CreateOptions struct {
 
 	// maximum number of simultaneous uploads
 	Concurrency int
+
+	DiscussionCategory string
 }
 
 func NewCmdCreate(f *cmdutil.Factory, runF func(*CreateOptions) error) *cobra.Command {
@@ -92,9 +95,16 @@ func NewCmdCreate(f *cmdutil.Factory, runF func(*CreateOptions) error) *cobra.Co
 
 			Upload a release asset with a display label
 			$ gh release create v1.2.3 '/path/to/asset.zip#My display label'
+
+			Create a release and start a discussion
+			$ gh release create v1.2.3 --discussion-category "General"
 		`),
 		Args: cmdutil.MinimumArgs(1, "could not create: no tag name provided"),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			if cmd.Flags().Changed("discussion-category") && opts.Draft {
+				return errors.New("Discussions for draft releases not supported")
+			}
+
 			// support `-R, --repo` override
 			opts.BaseRepo = f.BaseRepo
 			opts.RepoOverride, _ = cmd.Flags().GetString("repo")
@@ -132,6 +142,7 @@ func NewCmdCreate(f *cmdutil.Factory, runF func(*CreateOptions) error) *cobra.Co
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&opts.Name, "title", "t", "", "Release title")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&opts.Body, "notes", "n", "", "Release notes")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&notesFile, "notes-file", "F", "", "Read release notes from `file`")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&opts.DiscussionCategory, "discussion-category", "", "", "Start a discussion of the specified category")
 
 	return cmd
 }
@@ -268,6 +279,13 @@ func createRun(opts *CreateOptions) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if opts.Draft && len(opts.DiscussionCategory) > 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"%s Discussions not supported with draft releases",
+			opts.IO.ColorScheme().FailureIcon(),
+		)
+	}
+
 	params := map[string]interface{}{
 		"tag_name":   opts.TagName,
 		"draft":      opts.Draft,
@@ -278,6 +296,9 @@ func createRun(opts *CreateOptions) error {
 	if opts.Target != "" {
 		params["target_commitish"] = opts.Target
 	}
+	if opts.DiscussionCategory != "" {
+		params["discussion_category_name"] = opts.DiscussionCategory
+	}
 
 	hasAssets := len(opts.Assets) > 0
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/release/create/create_test.go b/pkg/cmd/release/create/create_test.go
index 8bfb2d325..46b7fc4be 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/release/create/create_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/release/create/create_test.go
@@ -160,6 +160,30 @@ func Test_NewCmdCreate(t *testing.T) {
 			isTTY:   true,
 			wantErr: "could not create: no tag name provided",
 		},
+		{
+			name:  "discussion category",
+			args:  "v1.2.3 --discussion-category 'General'",
+			isTTY: true,
+			want: CreateOptions{
+				TagName:            "v1.2.3",
+				Target:             "",
+				Name:               "",
+				Body:               "",
+				BodyProvided:       false,
+				Draft:              false,
+				Prerelease:         false,
+				RepoOverride:       "",
+				Concurrency:        5,
+				Assets:             []*shared.AssetForUpload(nil),
+				DiscussionCategory: "General",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "discussion category for draft release",
+			args:    "v1.2.3 -d --discussion-category 'General'",
+			isTTY:   true,
+			wantErr: "Discussions for draft releases not supported",
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -209,6 +233,7 @@ func Test_NewCmdCreate(t *testing.T) {
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.want.Prerelease, opts.Prerelease)
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.want.Concurrency, opts.Concurrency)
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.want.RepoOverride, opts.RepoOverride)
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.want.DiscussionCategory, opts.DiscussionCategory)
 
 			require.Equal(t, len(tt.want.Assets), len(opts.Assets))
 			for i := range tt.want.Assets {
@@ -249,6 +274,28 @@ func Test_createRun(t *testing.T) {
 			wantStdout: "https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/releases/tag/v1.2.3\n",
 			wantStderr: ``,
 		},
+		{
+			name:  "with discussion category",
+			isTTY: true,
+			opts: CreateOptions{
+				TagName:            "v1.2.3",
+				Name:               "The Big 1.2",
+				Body:               "* Fixed bugs",
+				BodyProvided:       true,
+				Target:             "",
+				DiscussionCategory: "General",
+			},
+			wantParams: map[string]interface{}{
+				"tag_name":                 "v1.2.3",
+				"name":                     "The Big 1.2",
+				"body":                     "* Fixed bugs",
+				"draft":                    false,
+				"prerelease":               false,
+				"discussion_category_name": "General",
+			},
+			wantStdout: "https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/releases/tag/v1.2.3\n",
+			wantStderr: ``,
+		},
 		{
 			name:  "with target commitish",
 			isTTY: true,
@@ -291,6 +338,29 @@ func Test_createRun(t *testing.T) {
 			wantStdout: "https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/releases/tag/v1.2.3\n",
 			wantStderr: ``,
 		},
+		{
+			name:  "discussion category for draft release",
+			isTTY: true,
+			opts: CreateOptions{
+				TagName:            "v1.2.3",
+				Name:               "",
+				Body:               "",
+				BodyProvided:       true,
+				Draft:              true,
+				Target:             "",
+				DiscussionCategory: "general",
+			},
+			wantParams: map[string]interface{}{
+				"tag_name":                 "v1.2.3",
+				"name":                     "",
+				"body":                     "",
+				"draft":                    true,
+				"prerelease":               false,
+				"discussion_category_name": "general",
+			},
+			wantErr:    "X Discussions not supported with draft releases",
+			wantStdout: "",
+		},
 		{
 			name:  "publish after uploading files",
 			isTTY: true,