diff --git a/src/main/groovy/de/gliderpilot/gradle/semanticrelease/SemanticReleaseChangeLogService.groovy b/src/main/groovy/de/gliderpilot/gradle/semanticrelease/SemanticReleaseChangeLogService.groovy
index 49d8888..6bca71f 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/de/gliderpilot/gradle/semanticrelease/SemanticReleaseChangeLogService.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/de/gliderpilot/gradle/semanticrelease/SemanticReleaseChangeLogService.groovy
@@ -16,10 +16,7 @@
 package de.gliderpilot.gradle.semanticrelease
 
 import com.github.zafarkhaja.semver.Version
-import com.jcabi.github.Coordinates
-import com.jcabi.github.Github
-import com.jcabi.github.Release
-import com.jcabi.github.RtGithub
+import com.jcabi.github.*
 import groovy.text.SimpleTemplateEngine
 import groovy.text.Template
 import groovy.transform.Memoized
@@ -214,7 +211,24 @@ class SemanticReleaseChangeLogService {
         if (!github)
             return
         String tag = tagStrategy.prefixNameWithV ? "v$version.version" : "$version.version"
-        Release release = github.repos().get(new Coordinates.Simple(mnemo)).releases().create(tag)
+
+        Repo repo = github.repos().get(new Coordinates.Simple(mnemo))
+
+        // check for the existance of the tag using the api -> #3
+        long start = System.currentTimeMillis()
+        while(!tagExists(repo, tag) && System.currentTimeMillis() - start < 60000) {}
+
+        Release release = repo.releases().create(tag)
         new Release.Smart(release).body(changeLog(commits(Version.valueOf(version.previousVersion)), version).toString())
     }
+
+    private boolean tagExists(Repo repo, String tag) {
+        try {
+            repo.git().references().get("refs/tags/$tag").json()
+            return true
+        } catch (Throwable t) {
+            return false
+        }
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/test/groovy/de/gliderpilot/gradle/semanticrelease/SemanticReleaseChangeLogServiceSpec.groovy b/src/test/groovy/de/gliderpilot/gradle/semanticrelease/SemanticReleaseChangeLogServiceSpec.groovy
index 5832f48..1bb5b14 100644
--- a/src/test/groovy/de/gliderpilot/gradle/semanticrelease/SemanticReleaseChangeLogServiceSpec.groovy
+++ b/src/test/groovy/de/gliderpilot/gradle/semanticrelease/SemanticReleaseChangeLogServiceSpec.groovy
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import org.ajoberstar.grgit.Commit
 import org.ajoberstar.grgit.Grgit
 import spock.lang.Specification
 import spock.lang.Subject
+import spock.lang.Timeout
 import spock.lang.Unroll
 
 import javax.json.Json
@@ -215,19 +216,22 @@ class SemanticReleaseChangeLogServiceSpec extends Specification {
         changeLogService.changeLog(commits.collect(asCommit), new ReleaseVersion(previousVersion: '1.0.0', version: '2.0.0', createTag: true)).toString() == expected
     }
 
+    @Timeout(10)
     def "change log is uploaded to GitHub"() {
         given:
         grgit = Grgit.open()
         changeLogService = new SemanticReleaseChangeLogService(grgit, tagStrategy)
         changeLogService.github = new MkGithub("tschulte")
         changeLogService.github.repos().create(Json.createObjectBuilder().add("name", "gradle-semantic-release-plugin").build())
+        def coordinates = new Coordinates.Simple("tschulte/gradle-semantic-release-plugin")
+        changeLogService.github.repos().get(coordinates).git().references().create("refs/tags/v1.0.0", "affe")
         changeLogService.changeLog = { List<Commit> commits, ReleaseVersion version ->
             "${'changelog'}"
         }
 
         when:
         changeLogService.createGitHubVersion(new ReleaseVersion(previousVersion: '0.0.0', version: '1.0.0'))
-        def releases = changeLogService.github.repos().get(new Coordinates.Simple("tschulte/gradle-semantic-release-plugin")).releases()
+        def releases = changeLogService.github.repos().get(coordinates).releases()
         def release = releases.iterate().collect { new Release.Smart(it) }.find {
             it.tag() == 'v1.0.0'
         }