diff --git a/crates/mono/src/cli/command/version/changed.rs b/crates/mono/src/cli/command/version/changed.rs
index c1892de..adba373 100644
--- a/crates/mono/src/cli/command/version/changed.rs
+++ b/crates/mono/src/cli/command/version/changed.rs
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@ where
         // packages to standard output if they have a version increment
         let dependents = context.workspace.dependents()?;
         for node in &dependents {
-            if increments[node].is_some() {
+            // In case no versions have been created so far, all packages must
+            // be considered changed to be included in the initial release
+            if increments[node].is_some() || versions.is_empty() {
                 let name = dependents[node].name().expect("invariant");
                 println!("{name}");
             }
diff --git a/crates/mono/src/cli/command/version/create.rs b/crates/mono/src/cli/command/version/create.rs
index a66b3c3..422c5a4 100644
--- a/crates/mono/src/cli/command/version/create.rs
+++ b/crates/mono/src/cli/command/version/create.rs
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ where
         // Obtain version increments, which denote which packages have changed,
         // and abort immediately if there are no changes that require a release
         let mut increments = changeset.increments().to_vec();
-        if increments.iter().all(Option::is_none) {
+        if !versions.is_empty() && increments.iter().all(Option::is_none) {
             eprintln!("Nothing to release");
             return Ok(());
         }