diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto-canary-local.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto-canary-local.test.ts
index c3165c1f8..d97d03424 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto-canary-local.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto-canary-local.test.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ test("shipit should publish canary in locally when not on baseBranch", async ()
   expect(canary).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
     expect.objectContaining({
       bump: SEMVER.patch,
-      canaryIdentifier: "canary.abcdefg",
+      canaryIdentifier: "-canary.abcdefg",
     })
   );
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto-in-pr-ci.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto-in-pr-ci.test.ts
index b9da28a31..25598b535 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto-in-pr-ci.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto-in-pr-ci.test.ts
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ describe("canary in ci", () => {
     expect(canary).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.objectContaining({
         bump: SEMVER.patch,
-        canaryIdentifier: "canary.123.1",
+        canaryIdentifier: "-canary.123.1",
       })
     );
   });
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ describe("canary in ci", () => {
     );
 
     const version = await auto.canary({ pr: 456, build: 5 });
-    expect(version!.newVersion).toBe("1.2.4-canary.456.5");
+    expect(version!.newVersion).toBe("1.2.4--canary.456.5");
   });
 });
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ describe("shipit in ci", () => {
     expect(canary).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.objectContaining({
         bump: SEMVER.patch,
-        canaryIdentifier: "canary.123.1",
+        canaryIdentifier: "-canary.123.1",
       })
     );
   });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto.test.ts
index 9f0ab8e47..642d6e500 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto.test.ts
@@ -1172,7 +1172,7 @@ describe("Auto", () => {
       expect(canary).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.objectContaining({
           bump: SEMVER.patch,
-          canaryIdentifier: "canary.123.1",
+          canaryIdentifier: "-canary.123.1",
         })
       );
       expect(auto.git!.addToPrBody).toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -1197,7 +1197,7 @@ describe("Auto", () => {
       expect(canary).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.objectContaining({
           bump: SEMVER.patch,
-          canaryIdentifier: "canary.abc",
+          canaryIdentifier: "-canary.abc",
         })
       );
     });
@@ -1241,7 +1241,7 @@ describe("Auto", () => {
       expect(canary).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.objectContaining({
           bump: SEMVER.patch,
-          canaryIdentifier: "canary.abcd",
+          canaryIdentifier: "-canary.abcd",
         })
       );
     });
@@ -1290,7 +1290,7 @@ describe("Auto", () => {
       expect(canary).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.objectContaining({
           bump: SEMVER.patch,
-          canaryIdentifier: "canary.abcd",
+          canaryIdentifier: "-canary.abcd",
         })
       );
     });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/auto.ts b/packages/core/src/auto.ts
index 7601e2c35..bedc4ca3d 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/auto.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/auto.ts
@@ -1257,7 +1257,7 @@ export default class Auto {
       ).slice(0, 7)}`;
     }
 
-    canaryIdentifier = `canary${canaryIdentifier}`;
+    canaryIdentifier = `-canary${canaryIdentifier}`;
 
     this.logger.verbose.info("Calling canary hook");
     const result = await this.hooks.canary.promise({