diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 988b6a69..a8c32dbc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ entries | `array`/`RegExp`/`function(key: string): bool` | optional | a filter f
 | stripCommonPrefix | `boolean` | optional |  when paired with `rewrite` this will add `~` to the `stripPrefix` array. |
 | sourceMapReference | `boolean` | optional | this prevents the automatic detection of sourcemap references. |
 | rewrite | `boolean` | optional | enables rewriting of matching sourcemaps so that indexed maps are flattened and missing sources are inlined if possible. defaults to `true` |
+| finalize | `boolean` | optional | determines whether processed release should be automatically finalized after artifacts upload. defaults to `true` |
 | dryRun | `boolean` | optional | attempts a dry run (useful for dev environments) |
 | debug | `boolean` | optional | print some useful debug information |
 | silent | `boolean` | optional | if `true`, all logs are suppressed (useful for `--json` option) |
diff --git a/src/__tests__/index.spec.js b/src/__tests__/index.spec.js
index 975f3557..50f32c26 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/index.spec.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/index.spec.js
@@ -21,13 +21,17 @@ afterEach(() => {
   jest.clearAllMocks();
 });
 
+const defaults = {
+  debug: false,
+  finalize: true,
+  rewrite: true,
+};
+
 describe('constructor', () => {
   test('uses defaults without options', () => {
     const sentryCliPlugin = new SentryCliPlugin();
 
-    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options).toEqual({
-      rewrite: true,
-    });
+    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options).toEqual(defaults);
   });
 
   test('merges defaults with options', () => {
@@ -35,10 +39,8 @@ describe('constructor', () => {
       foo: 42,
     });
 
-    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options).toEqual({
-      rewrite: true,
-      foo: 42,
-    });
+    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options).toEqual(expect.objectContaining(defaults));
+    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options.foo).toEqual(42);
   });
 
   test('uses declared options over defaults', () => {
@@ -46,19 +48,7 @@ describe('constructor', () => {
       rewrite: false,
     });
 
-    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options).toEqual({
-      rewrite: false,
-    });
-  });
-
-  test('allows to provide debug mode', () => {
-    let sentryCliPlugin = new SentryCliPlugin();
-    expect(sentryCliPlugin.debug).toEqual(false);
-
-    sentryCliPlugin = new SentryCliPlugin({
-      debug: true,
-    });
-    expect(sentryCliPlugin.debug).toEqual(true);
+    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options.rewrite).toEqual(false);
   });
 
   test('sanitizes array options `include` and `ignore`', () => {
@@ -66,12 +56,8 @@ describe('constructor', () => {
       include: 'foo',
       ignore: 'bar',
     });
-
-    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options).toEqual({
-      rewrite: true,
-      include: ['foo'],
-      ignore: ['bar'],
-    });
+    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options.include).toEqual(['foo']);
+    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options.ignore).toEqual(['bar']);
   });
 
   test('keeps array options `include` and `ignore`', () => {
@@ -79,12 +65,8 @@ describe('constructor', () => {
       include: ['foo'],
       ignore: ['bar'],
     });
-
-    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options).toEqual({
-      rewrite: true,
-      include: ['foo'],
-      ignore: ['bar'],
-    });
+    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options.include).toEqual(['foo']);
+    expect(sentryCliPlugin.options.ignore).toEqual(['bar']);
   });
 });
 
@@ -173,18 +155,44 @@ describe('afterEmitHook', () => {
 
     setImmediate(() => {
       expect(mockCli.releases.new).toBeCalledWith('42');
-      expect(mockCli.releases.uploadSourceMaps).toBeCalledWith('42', {
-        ignore: undefined,
-        release: 42,
-        include: ['src'],
-        rewrite: true,
-      });
+      expect(mockCli.releases.uploadSourceMaps).toBeCalledWith(
+        '42',
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          release: 42,
+          include: ['src'],
+        })
+      );
       expect(mockCli.releases.finalize).toBeCalledWith('42');
       expect(compilationDoneCallback).toBeCalled();
       done();
     });
   });
 
+  test('skips finalizing release if finalize:false', done => {
+    expect.assertions(4);
+
+    const sentryCliPlugin = new SentryCliPlugin({
+      include: 'src',
+      release: 42,
+      finalize: false,
+    });
+    sentryCliPlugin.apply(compiler);
+
+    setImmediate(() => {
+      expect(mockCli.releases.new).toBeCalledWith('42');
+      expect(mockCli.releases.uploadSourceMaps).toBeCalledWith(
+        '42',
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          release: 42,
+          include: ['src'],
+        })
+      );
+      expect(mockCli.releases.finalize).not.toBeCalled();
+      expect(compilationDoneCallback).toBeCalled();
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
   test('handles errors during releasing', done => {
     expect.assertions(2);
     mockCli.releases.new.mockImplementationOnce(() =>
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index d137146e..c534bbc9 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -71,10 +71,13 @@ function attachAfterEmitHook(compiler, callback) {
 
 class SentryCliPlugin {
   constructor(options = {}) {
-    this.debug = options.debug || false;
+    const defaults = {
+      debug: false,
+      finalize: true,
+      rewrite: true,
+    };
 
-    // By default we want that rewrite is true
-    this.options = Object.assign({ rewrite: true }, options);
+    this.options = Object.assign({}, defaults, options);
 
     if (options.include) this.options.include = toArray(options.include);
     if (options.ignore) this.options.ignore = toArray(options.ignore);
@@ -339,7 +342,12 @@ class SentryCliPlugin {
           });
         }
       })
-      .then(() => this.cli.releases.finalize(release))
+      .then(() => {
+        if (this.options.finalize) {
+          return this.cli.releases.finalize(release);
+        }
+        return undefined;
+      })
       .catch(err =>
         errorHandler(
           err,
@@ -354,7 +362,7 @@ class SentryCliPlugin {
     const compilerOptions = compiler.options || {};
     ensure(compilerOptions, 'module', Object);
 
-    if (this.debug) {
+    if (this.options.debug) {
       this.injectReleaseWithDebug(compilerOptions);
     } else {
       this.injectRelease(compilerOptions);