diff --git a/.release-it.js b/.release-it.js
index 60035ed..5a6eb88 100644
--- a/.release-it.js
+++ b/.release-it.js
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
-const fs = require("fs");
-const path = require("path");
-
-const commits_template = fs
-    .readFileSync(
-        path.resolve(__dirname, "release-it", "conventional-changelog-commit.hbs"),
-    )
-    .toString();
+const commitPartial = require("./release-it/conventional-changelog-commit.js");
 
 module.exports = {
     npm: {
@@ -47,11 +40,14 @@ module.exports = {
                 ],
             },
             writerOpts: {
-                commitPartial: commits_template,
+                commitPartial,
             },
         },
     },
     hooks: {
+        // Format the changelog after it is written, before Git stages it.
+        "after:@release-it/conventional-changelog:beforeRelease":
+            "npx prettier --write CHANGES.md",
         // Run `make bundle` after the version is bumped to get a build with
         // the new version number comment in the entry scripts.
         // Use the make target which does a check to not build if the package
diff --git a/release-it/conventional-changelog-commit.hbs b/release-it/conventional-changelog-commit.hbs
deleted file mode 100644
index d3fc3a0..0000000
--- a/release-it/conventional-changelog-commit.hbs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,72 +0,0 @@
-
-*{{#if scope}} **{{scope}}:**
-{{~/if}} {{#if subject}}
-  {{~subject}}
-{{~else}}
-  {{~header}}
-{{~/if}}
-
-{{~!-- commit link --}} {{#if @root.linkReferences~}}
-  ([{{shortHash}}](
-  {{~#if @root.repository}}
-    {{~#if @root.host}}
-      {{~@root.host}}/
-    {{~/if}}
-    {{~#if @root.owner}}
-      {{~@root.owner}}/
-    {{~/if}}
-    {{~@root.repository}}
-  {{~else}}
-    {{~@root.repoUrl}}
-  {{~/if}}/
-  {{~@root.commit}}/{{hash}}))
-{{~else}}
-  {{~hash}}
-{{~/if}}
-
-{{#if body}}
-
-  {{body}}
-{{/if}}
-{{#if footer}}
-
-  {{footer}}
-{{/if}}
-
-{{~!-- commit references --}}
-{{~#if references~}}
-
-closes
-  {{~#each references}} {{#if @root.linkReferences~}}
-    [
-    {{~#if this.owner}}
-      {{~this.owner}}/
-    {{~/if}}
-    {{~this.repository}}#{{this.issue}}](
-    {{~#if @root.repository}}
-      {{~#if @root.host}}
-        {{~@root.host}}/
-      {{~/if}}
-      {{~#if this.repository}}
-        {{~#if this.owner}}
-          {{~this.owner}}/
-        {{~/if}}
-        {{~this.repository}}
-      {{~else}}
-        {{~#if @root.owner}}
-          {{~@root.owner}}/
-        {{~/if}}
-          {{~@root.repository}}
-        {{~/if}}
-    {{~else}}
-      {{~@root.repoUrl}}
-    {{~/if}}/
-    {{~@root.issue}}/{{this.issue}})
-  {{~else}}
-    {{~#if this.owner}}
-      {{~this.owner}}/
-    {{~/if}}
-    {{~this.repository}}#{{this.issue}}
-  {{~/if}}{{/each}}
-{{~/if}}
-
diff --git a/release-it/conventional-changelog-commit.js b/release-it/conventional-changelog-commit.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da0694d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-it/conventional-changelog-commit.js
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+// The preset adds the list marker and indents continuation lines.
+module.exports = function commitPartial(context, commit) {
+    const repoUrl = context.repository
+        ? [context.host, context.owner, context.repository].filter(Boolean).join("/")
+        : context.repoUrl;
+    const summary = [
+        commit.scope && `**${commit.scope}:**`,
+        commit.subject || commit.header,
+        commit.hash &&
+            (context.linkReferences
+                ? `([${commit.shortHash}](${repoUrl}/${context.commit}/${commit.hash}))`
+                : commit.hash),
+    ]
+        .filter(Boolean)
+        .join(" ");
+
+    const references = (commit.references || []).map((reference) => {
+        const label = `${reference.owner ? `${reference.owner}/` : ""}${reference.repository || ""}#${reference.issue}`;
+        if (!context.linkReferences) {
+            return label;
+        }
+
+        const referenceUrl = context.repository
+            ? [
+                  context.host,
+                  reference.repository
+                      ? reference.owner || context.owner
+                      : context.owner,
+                  reference.repository || context.repository,
+              ]
+                  .filter(Boolean)
+                  .join("/")
+            : context.repoUrl;
+        return `[${label}](${referenceUrl}/${context.issue}/${reference.issue})`;
+    });
+
+    return [
+        summary,
+        commit.body,
+        commit.footer,
+        references.length && `closes ${references.join(" ")}`,
+    ]
+        .filter(Boolean)
+        .join("\n\n");
+};