diff --git a/app/libs/triggers/pre_release/almost_trunk.rb b/app/libs/triggers/pre_release/almost_trunk.rb
index a8c746a6b..ecbe5d621 100644
--- a/app/libs/triggers/pre_release/almost_trunk.rb
+++ b/app/libs/triggers/pre_release/almost_trunk.rb
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def hotfix_branch?
     def source_ref
       if hotfix_branch?
         {
-          ref: release.hotfixed_from.tag_name,
+          ref: release.hotfixed_from.end_ref,
           type: :tag
         }
       else
diff --git a/app/models/release.rb b/app/models/release.rb
index dea41beee..54a220728 100644
--- a/app/models/release.rb
+++ b/app/models/release.rb
@@ -231,21 +231,31 @@ def end_time
   end
 
   def fetch_commit_log
+    # release branch for a new release may not exist on vcs provider since pre release job runs in parallel to fetch commit log job
+    target_branch = train.working_branch
     if upcoming?
       ongoing_head = train.ongoing_release.first_commit
       source_commitish, from_ref = ongoing_head.commit_hash, ongoing_head.short_sha
+    elsif hotfix?
+      return if new_hotfix_branch? # there is no diff between the hotfixed from tag and the new hotfix release branch
+      source_commitish = from_ref = hotfixed_from.end_ref
+      target_branch = hotfixed_from.release_branch
     else
-      source_commitish = from_ref = previous_release&.tag_name || previous_release&.last_commit&.short_sha
+      source_commitish = from_ref = previous_release&.end_ref
     end
 
     return if source_commitish.blank?
 
     create_release_changelog(
-      commits: vcs_provider.commit_log(source_commitish, train.working_branch),
+      commits: vcs_provider.commit_log(source_commitish, target_branch),
       from_ref:
     )
   end
 
+  def end_ref
+    tag_name || last_commit.short_sha
+  end
+
   def release_version
     release_platform_runs.pluck(:release_version).map(&:to_semverish).max.to_s
   end
@@ -418,7 +428,7 @@ def set_version
   end
 
   def previous_release
-    train.releases.where(status: "finished").order(completed_at: :desc).first
+    train.releases.where(status: "finished").reorder(completed_at: :desc).first
   end
 
   def on_start!
diff --git a/spec/models/release_spec.rb b/spec/models/release_spec.rb
index 2fb772eeb..116e4ce1d 100644
--- a/spec/models/release_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/release_spec.rb
@@ -329,4 +329,73 @@
       expect(run.retrigger_for_hotfix?).to be(false)
     end
   end
+
+  describe "#fetch_commit_log" do
+    let(:train) { create(:train) }
+    let(:release) { create(:release, :on_track, train:) }
+    let(:vcs_mock_provider) { instance_double(GithubIntegration) }
+    let(:diff) {
+      [{url: "https://sample.com",
+        message: "commit message",
+        timestamp: "2024-01-10T18:38:06.000Z",
+        author_url: "https://github.com/jondoe",
+        author_name: "Jon Doe",
+        commit_hash: SecureRandom.uuid.split("-").join,
+        author_email: "jon@doe.com",
+        author_login: "jon-doe"}.with_indifferent_access]
+    }
+
+    before do
+      allow_any_instance_of(described_class).to receive(:vcs_provider).and_return(vcs_mock_provider)
+      allow(vcs_mock_provider).to receive(:commit_log).and_return(diff)
+    end
+
+    it "fetches the commits between last finished release and release branch" do
+      finished_release = create(:release, :finished, train:, completed_at: 2.days.ago, tag_name: "foo")
+      _older_finished_release = create(:release, :finished, train:, completed_at: 4.days.ago, tag_name: "bar")
+
+      release.fetch_commit_log
+      expect(vcs_mock_provider).to have_received(:commit_log).with(finished_release.tag_name, train.working_branch).once
+      expect(release.release_changelog.reload.commits.map(&:with_indifferent_access)).to eq(diff)
+      expect(release.release_changelog.reload.from_ref).to eq(finished_release.tag_name)
+    end
+
+    it "fetches the commits between ongoing release and release branch for upcoming release" do
+      ongoing_release = create(:release, :on_track, train:, scheduled_at: 1.day.ago)
+      commits = create_list(:commit, 5, :without_trigger, release: ongoing_release)
+      ongoing_head = commits.first
+
+      release.fetch_commit_log
+      expect(vcs_mock_provider).to have_received(:commit_log).with(ongoing_head.commit_hash, train.working_branch).once
+      expect(release.release_changelog.reload.commits.map(&:with_indifferent_access)).to eq(diff)
+      expect(release.release_changelog.reload.from_ref).to eq(ongoing_head.short_sha)
+    end
+
+    it "does not fetch commit log if no finished release exists for the train" do
+      release.fetch_commit_log
+      expect(vcs_mock_provider).not_to have_received(:commit_log)
+      expect(release.release_changelog).to be_nil
+    end
+
+    context "when hotfix release" do
+      it "fetches the commits between hotfixed from release and release branch" do
+        finished_release = create(:release, :finished, train:, completed_at: 2.days.ago, tag_name: "foo")
+        hotfix_release = create(:release, :on_track, :hotfix, train:, hotfixed_from: finished_release)
+
+        hotfix_release.fetch_commit_log
+        expect(vcs_mock_provider).to have_received(:commit_log).with(finished_release.tag_name, release.release_branch).once
+        expect(hotfix_release.release_changelog.reload.commits.map(&:with_indifferent_access)).to eq(diff)
+        expect(hotfix_release.release_changelog.reload.from_ref).to eq(finished_release.tag_name)
+      end
+
+      it "does not fetch commit log when new hotfix branch" do
+        finished_release = create(:release, :finished, train:, completed_at: 2.days.ago, tag_name: "foo")
+        hotfix_release = create(:release, :on_track, :hotfix, train:, hotfixed_from: finished_release, new_hotfix_branch: true)
+
+        hotfix_release.fetch_commit_log
+        expect(vcs_mock_provider).not_to have_received(:commit_log)
+        expect(hotfix_release.release_changelog).to be_nil
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end