diff --git a/.github/workflows/_release.yaml b/.github/workflows/_release.yaml
index ff372912f..0176795e5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/_release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/_release.yaml
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ jobs:
     uses: bakdata/ci-templates/.github/workflows/bump-version-release.yaml@v1.24.0
     with:
       release-type: "${{ github.event.inputs.release-type }}"
-      changelog: true
-      changelog-config: "./.github/changelog-config.json"
     secrets:
       github-username: "${{ secrets.GH_USERNAME }}"
       github-email: "${{ secrets.GH_EMAIL }}"
diff --git a/actions/changelog-generate/action.yaml b/actions/changelog-generate/action.yaml
index 54fcfa27e..c614f6eaf 100644
--- a/actions/changelog-generate/action.yaml
+++ b/actions/changelog-generate/action.yaml
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ runs:
         else
           path=${{ inputs.config }}
         fi
+        if [ ! -f "$path" ]; then
+          echo "changelog config file $path doesn't exist"
+          exit 1
+        fi
         echo "path=$path" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
       shell: bash