diff --git a/cmd/krel/cmd/changelog.go b/cmd/krel/cmd/changelog.go
index 2e5fe8abb0b..b7d1b541093 100644
--- a/cmd/krel/cmd/changelog.go
+++ b/cmd/krel/cmd/changelog.go
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ func generateReleaseNotes(opts *changelogOptions, branch, startRev, endRev strin
 
 	notesOptions := options.New()
 	notesOptions.Branch = branch
+	notesOptions.StartRev = startRev
 	notesOptions.EndSHA = endRev
 	notesOptions.RepoPath = rootOpts.repoPath
 	notesOptions.ReleaseBucket = opts.bucket
@@ -323,7 +324,7 @@ func generateReleaseNotes(opts *changelogOptions, branch, startRev, endRev strin
 	notesOptions.Pull = false
 
 	if err := notesOptions.ValidateAndFinish(); err != nil {
-		return "", err
+		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "validating notes options")
 	}
 
 	doc, err := document.GatherReleaseNotesDocument(
diff --git a/pkg/notes/options/options.go b/pkg/notes/options/options.go
index d87bb51d71d..e96bbda0eaf 100644
--- a/pkg/notes/options/options.go
+++ b/pkg/notes/options/options.go
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ func (o *Options) ValidateAndFinish() (err error) {
 		if o.StartRev != "" && o.StartSHA == "" {
 			sha, err := repo.RevParse(o.StartRev)
 			if err != nil {
-				return err
+				return errors.Wrapf(err, "resolving %s", o.StartRev)
 			}
 			logrus.Infof("using found start SHA: %s", sha)
 			o.StartSHA = sha
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ func (o *Options) ValidateAndFinish() (err error) {
 		if o.EndRev != "" && o.EndSHA == "" {
 			sha, err := repo.RevParse(o.EndRev)
 			if err != nil {
-				return err
+				return errors.Wrapf(err, "resolving %s", o.EndRev)
 			}
 			logrus.Infof("using found end SHA: %s", sha)
 			o.EndSHA = sha