diff --git a/packages/cli/src/parse-args.ts b/packages/cli/src/parse-args.ts
index 7bbbefe58..98dcab926 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/parse-args.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/parse-args.ts
@@ -216,6 +216,13 @@ const noChangelog: AutoOption = {
   config: true,
 };
 
+const force: AutoOption = {
+  name: "force",
+  type: Boolean,
+  group: "main",
+  config: true,
+};
+
 interface AutoCommand extends Command {
   /** Options for the command */
   options?: AutoOption[];
@@ -566,12 +573,9 @@ export const commands: AutoCommand[] = [
         config: true,
       },
       {
-        name: "force",
-        type: Boolean,
-        group: "main",
+        ...force,
         description:
-          "Force a canary release, even if the PR is marked to skip the release",
-        config: true,
+          "Force a next release, even if the last commit is marked to skip the release",
       },
       quiet,
     ],
@@ -596,6 +600,11 @@ export const commands: AutoCommand[] = [
           "The message used when attaching the prerelease version to a PR",
         config: true,
       },
+      {
+        ...force,
+        description:
+          "Force a canary release, even if the PR is marked to skip the release",
+      },
       quiet,
     ],
   },
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto.test.ts
index 893de02f6..9f0ab8e47 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/auto.test.ts
@@ -1382,6 +1382,33 @@ describe("Auto", () => {
       await auto.next({});
       expect(next).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
+
+    test("can --force release", async () => {
+      const auto = new Auto({ ...defaults, plugins: [] });
+
+      // @ts-ignore
+      auto.checkClean = () => Promise.resolve(true);
+      auto.logger = dummyLog();
+      await auto.loadConfig();
+      auto.remote = "origin";
+      auto.git!.publish = () => Promise.resolve({ data: {} } as any);
+      auto.git!.getLastTagNotInBaseBranch = () =>
+        Promise.reject(new Error("Test"));
+      auto.git!.getLatestTagInBranch = () => Promise.reject(new Error("Test"));
+      auto.git!.getLatestRelease = () => Promise.resolve("abcd");
+      auto.release!.generateReleaseNotes = () => Promise.resolve("notes");
+      auto.release!.getCommitsInRelease = () =>
+        Promise.resolve([
+          makeCommitFromMsg("Test Commit", { labels: ["skip-release"] }),
+        ]);
+
+      const next = jest.fn();
+      auto.hooks.next.tap("test", next);
+      jest.spyOn(auto.release!, "getCommits").mockImplementation();
+
+      await auto.next({ force: true });
+      expect(next).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
   });
 
   describe("shipit", () => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/auto-args.ts b/packages/core/src/auto-args.ts
index c9ed1f93e..184ca4cc5 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/auto-args.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/auto-args.ts
@@ -154,7 +154,12 @@ export type IShipItOptions = ILatestOptions & {
   onlyGraduateWithReleaseLabel?: boolean;
 };
 
-export type ICanaryOptions = QuietOption & {
+interface ForceOption {
+  /** Always deploy even if marked as skip release */
+  force?: boolean;
+}
+
+export type ICanaryOptions = QuietOption & ForceOption & {
   /** Do not actually do anything */
   dryRun?: boolean;
   /** THe PR to attach the canary to */
@@ -163,11 +168,9 @@ export type ICanaryOptions = QuietOption & {
   build?: number;
   /** The message used when attaching the canary version to a PR */
   message?: string | "false";
-  /** Always deploy a canary, even if the PR is marked as skip release */
-  force?: boolean;
 };
 
-export type INextOptions = QuietOption & {
+export type INextOptions = QuietOption & ForceOption & {
   /** Do not actually do anything */
   dryRun?: boolean;
   /** The message used when attaching the prerelease version to a PR */
diff --git a/packages/core/src/auto.ts b/packages/core/src/auto.ts
index 0c40adc59..0a341e82f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/auto.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/auto.ts
@@ -1395,11 +1395,15 @@ export default class Auto {
     const commits = await this.release.getCommitsInRelease(lastTag);
     const releaseNotes = await this.release.generateReleaseNotes(lastTag);
     const labels = commits.map((commit) => commit.labels);
-    const bump = calculateSemVerBump(labels, this.semVerLabels!, this.config);
+    let bump = calculateSemVerBump(labels, this.semVerLabels!, this.config);
 
-    if (bump === "") {
-      this.logger.log.info("No version published.");
-      return;
+    if (bump === SEMVER.noVersion) {
+      if (options.force) {
+        bump = SEMVER.patch;
+      } else {;
+        this.logger.log.info("No version published.");
+        return;
+      }
     }
 
     if (!args.quiet) {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types.ts b/packages/core/src/types.ts
index 108d0bbba..bdb283aaa 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types.ts
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ export const globalOptions = t.partial({
   }),
   /** Options to pass to "auto next" */
   next: t.partial({
+    force: t.boolean,
     message: t.string,
   }),
 });