diff --git a/.changeset/nervous-eggs-bathe.md b/.changeset/nervous-eggs-bathe.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..128b5af4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/nervous-eggs-bathe.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@changesets/action": minor
+---
+
+Reduce the number of API calls when releasing with `commitMode: github-api`
diff --git a/src/git.ts b/src/git.ts
index de313afc..afbb719c 100644
--- a/src/git.ts
+++ b/src/git.ts
@@ -77,16 +77,8 @@ export class Git {
 
   async pushTag(tag: string) {
     if (this.octokit) {
-      return this.octokit.rest.git
-        .createRef({
-          ...github.context.repo,
-          ref: `refs/tags/${tag}`,
-          sha: github.context.sha,
-        })
-        .catch((err) => {
-          // Assuming tag was manually pushed in custom publish script
-          core.warning(`Failed to create tag ${tag}: ${err.message}`);
-        });
+      // a tag will be created automatically when creating a release
+      return;
     }
     await exec("git", ["push", "origin", tag], { cwd: this.cwd });
   }
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index c5b0dc92..bbee81f3 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ const getOptionalInput = (name: string) => core.getInput(name) || undefined;
   }
   const git = new Git({
     octokit: commitMode === "github-api" ? octokit : undefined,
-    cwd
+    cwd,
   });
 
   let setupGitUser = core.getBooleanInput("setupGitUser");
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ const getOptionalInput = (name: string) => core.getInput(name) || undefined;
         git,
         octokit,
         createGithubReleases: core.getBooleanInput("createGithubReleases"),
+        commitMode,
         cwd,
       });
 
diff --git a/src/run.ts b/src/run.ts
index 60dba996..652a7f03 100644
--- a/src/run.ts
+++ b/src/run.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,11 @@ const MAX_CHARACTERS_PER_MESSAGE = 60000;
 
 const createRelease = async (
   octokit: Octokit,
-  { pkg, tagName }: { pkg: Package; tagName: string }
+  {
+    pkg,
+    tagName,
+    commitMode,
+  }: { pkg: Package; tagName: string; commitMode: "github-api" | "git-cli" }
 ) => {
   let changelog;
   try {
@@ -47,19 +51,28 @@ const createRelease = async (
     );
   }
 
-  await octokit.rest.repos.createRelease({
+  let createReleaseParams: Parameters<
+    typeof octokit.rest.repos.createRelease
+  >[0] = {
     name: tagName,
     tag_name: tagName,
     body: changelogEntry.content,
     prerelease: pkg.packageJson.version.includes("-"),
     ...github.context.repo,
-  });
+  };
+
+  if (commitMode === "github-api") {
+    createReleaseParams.target_commitish = github.context.sha;
+  }
+
+  await octokit.rest.repos.createRelease(createReleaseParams);
 };
 
 type PublishOptions = {
   script: string;
   octokit: Octokit;
   createGithubReleases: boolean;
+  commitMode: "github-api" | "git-cli";
   git: Git;
   cwd: string;
 };
@@ -80,6 +93,7 @@ export async function runPublish({
   git,
   octokit,
   createGithubReleases,
+  commitMode,
   cwd,
 }: PublishOptions): Promise<PublishResult> {
   let [publishCommand, ...publishArgs] = script.split(/\s+/);
@@ -118,7 +132,7 @@ export async function runPublish({
         releasedPackages.map(async (pkg) => {
           const tagName = `${pkg.packageJson.name}@${pkg.packageJson.version}`;
           await git.pushTag(tagName);
-          await createRelease(octokit, { pkg, tagName });
+          await createRelease(octokit, { pkg, tagName, commitMode });
         })
       );
     }
@@ -140,7 +154,7 @@ export async function runPublish({
         if (createGithubReleases) {
           const tagName = `v${pkg.packageJson.version}`;
           await git.pushTag(tagName);
-          await createRelease(octokit, { pkg, tagName });
+          await createRelease(octokit, { pkg, tagName, commitMode });
         }
         break;
       }