diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guide_2.5.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guide_2.5.rst
index 3b844e6588..eb625fe573 100644
--- a/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guide_2.5.rst
+++ b/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guide_2.5.rst
@@ -64,7 +64,12 @@ Modules
 
 Major changes in popular modules are detailed here
 
-No notable changes.
+github_release
+--------------
+
+In Ansible versions 2.4 and older, after creating a GitHub release using the ``create_release`` state, the ``github_release`` module reported state as ``skipped``.
+In Ansible version 2.5 and later, after creating a GitHub release using the ``create_release`` state, the ``github_release`` module now reports state as ``changed``.
+
 
 Modules removed
 ---------------
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/source_control/github_release.py b/lib/ansible/modules/source_control/github_release.py
index 1584021be8..f8d9f6631b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/source_control/github_release.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/source_control/github_release.py
@@ -116,6 +116,15 @@ EXAMPLES = '''
 '''
 
 RETURN = '''
+create_release:
+    description:
+    - Version of the created release
+    - "For Ansible version 2.5 and later, if specified release version already exists, then State is unchanged"
+    - "For Ansible versions prior to 2.5, if specified release version already exists, then State is skipped"
+    type: string
+    returned: success
+    sample: 1.1.0
+
 latest_release:
     description: Version of the latest release
     type: string
@@ -201,15 +210,14 @@ def main():
     if action == 'create_release':
         release_exists = repository.release_from_tag(tag)
         if release_exists:
-            module.exit_json(
-                skipped=True, msg="Release for tag %s already exists." % tag)
+            module.exit_json(changed=False, msg="Release for tag %s already exists." % tag)
 
         release = repository.create_release(
             tag, target, name, body, draft, prerelease)
         if release:
-            module.exit_json(tag=release.tag_name)
+            module.exit_json(changed=True, tag=release.tag_name)
         else:
-            module.exit_json(tag=None)
+            module.exit_json(changed=False, tag=None)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':