diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/release-notes-assistant.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/release-notes-assistant.yml
index 81e63238b2..9fa7b22ec2 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/release-notes-assistant.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/release-notes-assistant.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: https://code.forgejo.org/actions/setup-go@v4
         with:
           go-version-file: "go.mod"
+          cache: false
 
       - name: apt install jq
         run: |
diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/testing.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/testing.yml
index e2a41f72ee..d6c127a355 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/testing.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/testing.yml
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ jobs:
           apt-get -q install -qq -y git
           rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/testing.list
           apt-get update -qq
+      - name: test release-notes-assistant.sh
+        run: |
+          apt-get -q install -qq -y jq
+          ./release-notes-assistant.sh test_main
       - run: |
           su forgejo -c 'make deps-backend'
       - run: |
diff --git a/release-notes-assistant.sh b/release-notes-assistant.sh
index 4e15975340..fd8570d988 100755
--- a/release-notes-assistant.sh
+++ b/release-notes-assistant.sh
@@ -2,72 +2,240 @@
 # Copyright twenty-panda <twenty-panda@posteo.com>
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
+label_worth=worth
+label_bug=bug
+label_feature=feature
+label_ui=forgejo/ui
+label_breaking=breaking
+
 payload=$(mktemp)
 pr=$(mktemp)
 trap "rm $payload $pr" EXIT
 
-cat >$payload
-#
-# If this is a backport, refer to the original PR to figure
-# out the classification.
-#
-if $(jq --raw-output .IsBackportedFrom <$payload); then
-  jq --raw-output '.BackportedFrom[0]' <$payload >$pr
-else
-  jq --raw-output '.Pr' <$payload >$pr
-fi
+function test_main() {
+  set -ex
+  PS4='${BASH_SOURCE[0]}:$LINENO: ${FUNCNAME[0]}:  '
 
-labels=$(jq --raw-output '.labels[].name' <$pr)
+  test_payload_labels $label_worth $label_breaking $label_feature
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'AA Breaking features'
 
-#
-# Was this PR labeled `worth a release note`?
-#
-if echo "$labels" | grep --quiet worth; then
-  worth=true
-else
-  worth=false
-fi
+  test_payload_labels $label_worth $label_breaking $label_bug
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'AB Breaking bug fixes'
 
-#
-# If there was no release-notes/N.md file and it is not
-# worth a release note, just forget about it.
-#
-if test -z "$(jq --raw-output .Draft <$payload)"; then
-  if ! $worth; then
-    echo -n ZA Included for completness but not worth a release note
-    exit 0
+  test_payload_labels $label_worth $label_breaking
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'ZC Breaking changes without a feature or bug label'
+
+  test_payload_labels $label_worth $label_ui $label_feature
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'BA User Interface features'
+
+  test_payload_labels $label_worth $label_ui $label_bug
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'BB User Interface bug fixes'
+
+  test_payload_labels $label_worth $label_ui
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'ZD User Interface changes without a feature or bug label'
+
+  test_payload_labels $label_worth $label_feature
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'CA Features'
+
+  test_payload_labels $label_worth $label_bug
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'CB Bug fixes'
+
+  test_payload_labels $label_worth
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'ZE Other changes without a feature or bug label'
+
+  test_payload_labels
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'ZF Included for completness but not worth a release note'
+
+  test_payload_draft "feat!: breaking feature"
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'AA Breaking features'
+
+  test_payload_draft "fix!: breaking bug fix"
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'AB Breaking bug fixes'
+
+  test_payload_draft "feat: feature"
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'CA Features'
+
+  test_payload_draft "fix: bug fix"
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'CB Bug fixes'
+
+  test_payload_draft "something with no prefix"
+  test "$(categorize)" = 'ZE Other changes without a feature or bug label'
+}
+
+function main() {
+  cat >$payload
+  categorize
+}
+
+function categorize() {
+  #
+  # If this is a backport, refer to the original PR to figure
+  # out the classification.
+  #
+  if $(jq --raw-output .IsBackportedFrom <$payload); then
+    jq --raw-output '.BackportedFrom[0]' <$payload >$pr
+  else
+    jq --raw-output '.Pr' <$payload >$pr
   fi
-fi
 
-case "$labels" in
-*bug*)
-  if $(jq --raw-output .IsBackportedTo <$payload); then
-    #
-    # if it has been backported, it was in the release notes of an older stable release
-    # and does not need to be in this more recent release notes
-    #
-    echo -n ZB Already announced in the release notes of an older stable release
-    exit 0
+  labels=$(jq --raw-output '.labels[].name' <$pr)
+
+  #
+  # Was this PR labeled `worth a release note`?
+  #
+  if echo "$labels" | grep --quiet $label_worth; then
+    worth=true
+  else
+    worth=false
   fi
-  ;;
-esac
 
-case "$labels" in
-*breaking*)
+  #
+  # If there was no release-notes/N.md file and it is not
+  # worth a release note, just forget about it.
+  #
+  if test -z "$(jq --raw-output .Draft <$payload)"; then
+    if ! $worth; then
+      echo -n ZF Included for completness but not worth a release note
+      exit 0
+    fi
+  fi
+
+  is_ui=false
+  is_bug=false
+  is_feature=false
+  is_breaking=false
+
+  #
+  # first try to figure out the category from the labels
+  #
   case "$labels" in
-  *feature*) echo -n AA Breaking features ;;
-  *bug*) echo -n AB Breaking bug fixes ;;
-  *) echo -n ZC Breaking changes without a feature or bug label ;;
+  *$label_bug*)
+    is_bug=true
+    ;;
+  *$label_feature*)
+    is_feature=true
+    ;;
   esac
-  ;;
-*forgejo/ui*)
+
   case "$labels" in
-  *feature*) echo -n BA User Interface features ;;
-  *bug*) echo -n BB User Interface bug fixes ;;
-  *) echo -n ZD User Interface changes without a feature or bug label ;;
+  *$label_breaking*)
+    is_breaking=true
+    ;;
   esac
-  ;;
-*feature*) echo -n CA Features ;;
-*bug*) echo -n CB Bug fixes ;;
-*) echo -n ZE Other changes without a feature or bug label ;;
-esac
+
+  case "$labels" in
+  *$label_ui*)
+    is_ui=true
+    ;;
+  esac
+
+  #
+  # then try the prefix of the release note
+  #
+  if ! $is_bug && ! $is_feature; then
+    draft="$(jq --raw-output .Draft <$payload)"
+    case "$draft" in
+    fix!:*)
+      is_bug=true
+      is_breaking=true
+      ;;
+    fix:*)
+      is_bug=true
+      ;;
+    feat!:*)
+      is_feature=true
+      is_breaking=true
+      ;;
+    feat:*)
+      is_feature=true
+      ;;
+    esac
+  fi
+
+  if $is_bug; then
+    if $(jq --raw-output .IsBackportedTo <$payload); then
+      #
+      # if it has been backported, it was in the release notes of an older stable release
+      # and does not need to be in this more recent release notes
+      #
+      echo -n ZG Already announced in the release notes of an older stable release
+      exit 0
+    fi
+  fi
+
+  if $is_breaking; then
+    if $is_feature; then
+      echo -n AA Breaking features
+    elif $is_bug; then
+      echo AB Breaking bug fixes
+    else
+      echo -n ZC Breaking changes without a feature or bug label
+    fi
+  elif $is_ui; then
+    if $is_feature; then
+      echo -n BA User Interface features
+    elif $is_bug; then
+      echo -n BB User Interface bug fixes
+    else
+      echo -n ZD User Interface changes without a feature or bug label
+    fi
+  else
+    if $is_feature; then
+      echo -n CA Features
+    elif $is_bug; then
+      echo -n CB Bug fixes
+    else
+      echo -n ZE Other changes without a feature or bug label
+    fi
+  fi
+}
+
+function test_payload_labels() {
+  local label1="$1"
+  local label2="$2"
+  local label3="$3"
+  local label4="$4"
+
+  cat >$payload <<EOF
+{
+  "Pr": {
+    "labels": [
+      {
+        "name": "$label1"
+      },
+      {
+        "name": "$label2"
+      },
+      {
+        "name": "$label3"
+      },
+      {
+        "name": "$label4"
+      }
+    ]
+  },
+  "IsBackportedFrom": false,
+  "Draft": ""
+}
+EOF
+}
+
+function test_payload_draft() {
+  local draft="$1"
+
+  cat >$payload <<EOF
+{
+  "Pr": {
+    "labels": [
+      {
+        "name": "$label_worth"
+      }
+    ]
+  },
+  "IsBackportedFrom": false,
+  "Draft": "$draft"
+}
+EOF
+}
+
+"${@:-main}"