diff --git a/galaxy_release_util/bootstrap_history.py b/galaxy_release_util/bootstrap_history.py
index ebcbf57..cbd49b1 100644
--- a/galaxy_release_util/bootstrap_history.py
+++ b/galaxy_release_util/bootstrap_history.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Little script to make HISTORY.rst more easy to format properly, lots TODO
 # pull message down and embed, handle multiple, etc...
 
+import logging
 import calendar
 import datetime
 import os
@@ -13,12 +14,11 @@
 
 import click
 from github.PullRequest import PullRequest
+from github import GithubException
 from packaging.version import Version
 
 from .cli.options import (
     ClickVersion,
-    #next_version_option,
-    freeze_date_option,
     galaxy_root_option,
     group_options,
 )
@@ -336,18 +336,29 @@
     help="Next release version.",
 )
 
+freeze_date_option = click.option(
+    "--freeze-date",
+    type=click.DateTime(),
+    default=datetime.datetime.today(),
+)
+
+dry_run_option = click.option(
+    "--dry-run",
+    type=bool,
+    default=False,
+)
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 @click.group(help="Subcommands of this script can perform various tasks around creating Galaxy releases")
 def cli():
     pass
 
 
 @cli.command(help="Create release checklist issue on GitHub")
-@group_options(release_version_argument, next_version_option, freeze_date_option, galaxy_root_option)
-def create_release_issue(release_version: Version, next_version: Version, freeze_date, galaxy_root: Path):
-    """
-    TODO
-    """ # TODO ADD COMMENT
-
+@group_options(release_version_argument, next_version_option, freeze_date_option, galaxy_root_option, dry_run_option)
+def create_release_issue(release_version: Version, next_version: Version, freeze_date, galaxy_root: Path, dry_run: bool):
+    """ Create release publication issue."""
     previous_version = _get_previous_release_version(galaxy_root, release_version)
     next_version = next_version or _get_next_release_version(release_version)
     assert next_version > release_version, "Next release version should be greater than release version"
@@ -358,21 +369,25 @@ def create_release_issue(release_version: Version, next_version: Version, freeze
         previous_version=previous_version,
         freeze_date=freeze_date,
     )
-
     release_issue_contents = RELEASE_ISSUE_TEMPLATE.safe_substitute(**release_issue_template_params)
-    #print(release_issue_contents)
 
     github = github_client()
     repo = github.get_repo(f"{PROJECT_OWNER}/{PROJECT_NAME}")
 
-    # TODO error: must enable github tokern !!!!!
-    assert token?????
-
-    release_issue = repo.create_issue(
-       title=f"Publication of Galaxy Release v {release_version}",
-       body=release_issue_contents,
-    )
-    return release_issue
+    if dry_run:
+        print(release_issue_contents)
+        return None
+    try:
+        release_issue = repo.create_issue(
+           title=f"Publication of Galaxy Release v {release_version}",
+           body=release_issue_contents,
+        )
+        return release_issue
+    except GithubException:
+        log.exception(
+            "Failed to create an issue on GitHub. You need to be authenticated to use GitHub API."
+            "\nSee galaxy_release_util/github_client.py"
+        )
 
 
 @cli.command(help="Create or update release changelog")
diff --git a/galaxy_release_util/cli/options.py b/galaxy_release_util/cli/options.py
index a4dadb8..8c9f1b7 100644
--- a/galaxy_release_util/cli/options.py
+++ b/galaxy_release_util/cli/options.py
@@ -20,18 +20,6 @@
 )
 
 
-release_date_option = click.option(
-    "--release-date",
-    type=click.DateTime(),
-)
-
-freeze_date_option = click.option(
-    "--freeze-date",
-    type=click.DateTime(),
-    default=datetime.datetime.today(),
-)
-
-
 def group_options(*options):
     def wrapper(function):
         for option in reversed(options):