diff --git a/semantic-release-templates/.release_notes.md.j2 b/semantic-release-templates/.release_notes.md.j2
index 67304d48..39fb8ca2 100644
--- a/semantic-release-templates/.release_notes.md.j2
+++ b/semantic-release-templates/.release_notes.md.j2
@@ -3,10 +3,14 @@
 {% for type_, commits in release["elements"] | dictsort %}
 ## {{ type_ | capitalize }}
 {% for commit in commits %}
+{% if commit.descriptions is defined %}
 {% if commit.scope is not none %}
 * <b>{{ commit.scope | capitalize }}</b>: {{ commit.descriptions[0] }} ([`{{ commit.short_hash }}`]({{ commit.hexsha | commit_hash_url }}))
 {% else %}
 * {{ commit.descriptions[0] }} ([`{{ commit.short_hash }}`]({{ commit.hexsha | commit_hash_url }}))
 {% endif %}
+{% else %}
+  * **Unparsable commit** ([`{{ commit.short_hash }}`]({{ commit.hexsha | commit_hash_url }}))
+{% endif %}
 {% endfor %}
 {% endfor %}