diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-release-issue.yml b/.github/workflows/create-release-issue.yml
index ba9ea1decb6..ef9eb984e8a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-release-issue.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-release-issue.yml
@@ -35,9 +35,11 @@ on:
       rc1-date:
         description: "What's the expected shipping date for RC1?"
         required: false
+        default: "TBD"
       stable-date:
         description: "What's the expected shipping date for the stable release?"
         required: false
+        default: "TBD"
 
 defaults:
   run:
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ jobs:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: |
           go run cmd/release/main.go create-issue \
-            --create-on-github true \
+            --create-on-github=true \
             --type "${{ github.event.inputs.type }}" \
             --tag "${{ github.event.inputs.tag }}" \
             --level "${{ github.event.inputs.level }}" \
diff --git a/cmd/release/main.go b/cmd/release/main.go
index 2b2cdfdc8b0..b55d7f0000a 100644
--- a/cmd/release/main.go
+++ b/cmd/release/main.go
@@ -285,8 +285,9 @@ func main() {
 						}
 					}
 
-					rc1Date := c.String("rc1-date")
 					releaseDateStringRegexp := regexp.MustCompile(releaseDateStringPattern)
+
+					rc1Date := c.String("rc1-date")
 					if rc1Date != "TBD" {
 						matches := releaseDateStringRegexp.FindStringSubmatch(rc1Date)
 						if matches == nil {