diff --git a/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go b/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go
index 8c36218da..9a846700e 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go
@@ -435,8 +435,16 @@ func createRun(opts *CreateOptions) error {
 
 	hasAssets := len(opts.Assets) > 0
 
-	// Avoid publishing the release until all assets have finished uploading
-	if hasAssets {
+	if hasAssets && !opts.Draft {
+		// Check for an existing release
+		if opts.TagName != "" {
+			if ok, err := publishedReleaseExists(httpClient, baseRepo, opts.TagName); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("error checking for existing release: %w", err)
+			} else if ok {
+				return fmt.Errorf("a release with the same tag name already exists: %s", opts.TagName)
+			}
+		}
+		// Save the release initially as draft and publish it after all assets have finished uploading
 		params["draft"] = true
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/release/create/create_test.go b/pkg/cmd/release/create/create_test.go
index a6424c0d6..e5b8e1744 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/release/create/create_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/release/create/create_test.go
@@ -573,6 +573,7 @@ func Test_createRun(t *testing.T) {
 				Concurrency: 1,
 			},
 			httpStubs: func(t *testing.T, reg *httpmock.Registry) {
+				reg.Register(httpmock.REST("HEAD", "repos/OWNER/REPO/releases/tags/v1.2.3"), httpmock.StatusStringResponse(404, ``))
 				reg.Register(httpmock.REST("POST", "repos/OWNER/REPO/releases"), httpmock.RESTPayload(201, `{
 					"url": "https://api.github.com/releases/123",
 					"upload_url": "https://api.github.com/assets/upload",
@@ -608,6 +609,33 @@ func Test_createRun(t *testing.T) {
 			wantStdout: "https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/releases/tag/v1.2.3-final\n",
 			wantStderr: ``,
 		},
+		{
+			name:  "upload files but release already exists",
+			isTTY: true,
+			opts: CreateOptions{
+				TagName:      "v1.2.3",
+				Name:         "",
+				Body:         "",
+				BodyProvided: true,
+				Draft:        false,
+				Target:       "",
+				Assets: []*shared.AssetForUpload{
+					{
+						Name: "ball.tgz",
+						Open: func() (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+							return io.NopCloser(bytes.NewBufferString(`TARBALL`)), nil
+						},
+					},
+				},
+				Concurrency: 1,
+			},
+			httpStubs: func(t *testing.T, reg *httpmock.Registry) {
+				reg.Register(httpmock.REST("HEAD", "repos/OWNER/REPO/releases/tags/v1.2.3"), httpmock.StatusStringResponse(200, ``))
+			},
+			wantStdout: ``,
+			wantStderr: ``,
+			wantErr:    `a release with the same tag name already exists: v1.2.3`,
+		},
 		{
 			name:  "upload files and create discussion",
 			isTTY: true,
@@ -630,6 +658,7 @@ func Test_createRun(t *testing.T) {
 				Concurrency:        1,
 			},
 			httpStubs: func(t *testing.T, reg *httpmock.Registry) {
+				reg.Register(httpmock.REST("HEAD", "repos/OWNER/REPO/releases/tags/v1.2.3"), httpmock.StatusStringResponse(404, ``))
 				reg.Register(httpmock.REST("POST", "repos/OWNER/REPO/releases"), httpmock.RESTPayload(201, `{
 					"url": "https://api.github.com/releases/123",
 					"upload_url": "https://api.github.com/assets/upload",
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/release/create/http.go b/pkg/cmd/release/create/http.go
index 3d13337b1..2a0b65468 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/release/create/http.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/release/create/http.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
+	"net/url"
 
 	"github.com/cli/cli/v2/api"
 	"github.com/cli/cli/v2/internal/ghinstance"
@@ -127,6 +128,31 @@ func generateReleaseNotes(httpClient *http.Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, tagNam
 	return &rn, err
 }
 
+func publishedReleaseExists(httpClient *http.Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, tagName string) (bool, error) {
+	path := fmt.Sprintf("repos/%s/%s/releases/tags/%s", repo.RepoOwner(), repo.RepoName(), url.PathEscape(tagName))
+	url := ghinstance.RESTPrefix(repo.RepoHost()) + path
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("HEAD", url, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	resp, err := httpClient.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	if resp.Body != nil {
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+	}
+
+	if resp.StatusCode == 200 {
+		return true, nil
+	} else if resp.StatusCode == 404 {
+		return false, nil
+	} else {
+		return false, api.HandleHTTPError(resp)
+	}
+}
+
 func createRelease(httpClient *http.Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, params map[string]interface{}) (*shared.Release, error) {
 	bodyBytes, err := json.Marshal(params)
 	if err != nil {