diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index fb3c826..4ba6d7d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
     "@metamask/eslint-config-jest": "^11.1.0",
     "@metamask/eslint-config-nodejs": "^11.1.0",
     "@metamask/eslint-config-typescript": "^11.1.0",
+    "@metamask/utils": "^8.1.0",
     "@types/cross-spawn": "^6.0.2",
     "@types/diff": "^5.0.0",
     "@types/jest": "^26.0.23",
diff --git a/src/changelog.ts b/src/changelog.ts
index f04addc..2f61d62 100644
--- a/src/changelog.ts
+++ b/src/changelog.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { getKnownPropertyNames } from '@metamask/utils';
 import semver from 'semver';
 
 import {
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ function stringifyRelease(
   const categorizedChanges = orderedChangeCategories
     .filter((category) => categories[category])
     .map((category) => {
-      const changes = categories[category] as string[];
+      const changes = categories[category] ?? [];
       return stringifyCategory(category, changes);
     })
     .join('\n\n');
@@ -383,11 +384,11 @@ export default class Changelog {
 
     const unreleasedChanges = this.#changes[unreleased];
 
-    for (const category of Object.keys(unreleasedChanges) as ChangeCategory[]) {
+    for (const category of getKnownPropertyNames(unreleasedChanges)) {
       if (releaseChanges[category]) {
         releaseChanges[category] = [
-          ...(unreleasedChanges[category] as string[]),
-          ...(releaseChanges[category] as string[]),
+          ...(unreleasedChanges[category] ?? []),
+          ...(releaseChanges[category] ?? []),
         ];
       } else {
         releaseChanges[category] = unreleasedChanges[category];
diff --git a/src/update-changelog.ts b/src/update-changelog.ts
index 9e73c5d..06f1d31 100644
--- a/src/update-changelog.ts
+++ b/src/update-changelog.ts
@@ -197,11 +197,6 @@ export async function updateChangelog({
   tagPrefixes = ['v'],
   formatter = undefined,
 }: UpdateChangelogOptions): Promise<string | undefined> {
-  if (isReleaseCandidate && !currentVersion) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `A version must be specified if 'isReleaseCandidate' is set.`,
-    );
-  }
   const changelog = parseChangelog({
     changelogContent,
     repoUrl,
@@ -215,15 +210,6 @@ export async function updateChangelog({
     tagPrefixes,
   });
 
-  if (
-    isReleaseCandidate &&
-    mostRecentTag === `${tagPrefixes[0]}${currentVersion || ''}`
-  ) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Current version already has tag, which is unexpected for a release candidate.`,
-    );
-  }
-
   const commitRange =
     mostRecentTag === null ? 'HEAD' : `${mostRecentTag}..HEAD`;
   const commitsHashesSinceLastRelease = await getCommitHashesInRange(
@@ -247,38 +233,47 @@ export async function updateChangelog({
     return undefined;
   }
 
-  // Ensure release header exists, if necessary
-  if (
-    isReleaseCandidate &&
-    !changelog
-      .getReleases()
-      .find((release) => release.version === currentVersion)
-  ) {
-    // Typecast: currentVersion will be defined here due to type guard at the
-    // top of this function.
-    changelog.addRelease({ version: currentVersion as Version });
-  }
+  if (isReleaseCandidate) {
+    if (!currentVersion) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `A version must be specified if 'isReleaseCandidate' is set.`,
+      );
+    }
 
-  if (isReleaseCandidate && hasUnreleasedChanges) {
-    // Typecast: currentVersion will be defined here due to type guard at the
-    // top of this function.
-    changelog.migrateUnreleasedChangesToRelease(currentVersion as Version);
-  }
+    if (mostRecentTag === `${tagPrefixes[0]}${currentVersion ?? ''}`) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Current version already has a tag ('${mostRecentTag}'), which is unexpected for a release candidate.`,
+      );
+    }
 
-  const newChangeEntries = newCommits.map(({ prNumber, description }) => {
-    if (prNumber) {
-      const suffix = `([#${prNumber}](${repoUrl}/pull/${prNumber}))`;
-      return `${description} ${suffix}`;
+    // Ensure release header exists, if necessary
+    if (
+      !changelog
+        .getReleases()
+        .find((release) => release.version === currentVersion)
+    ) {
+      changelog.addRelease({ version: currentVersion });
     }
-    return description;
-  });
 
-  for (const description of newChangeEntries.reverse()) {
-    changelog.addChange({
-      version: isReleaseCandidate ? currentVersion : undefined,
-      category: ChangeCategory.Uncategorized,
-      description,
+    if (hasUnreleasedChanges) {
+      changelog.migrateUnreleasedChangesToRelease(currentVersion);
+    }
+
+    const newChangeEntries = newCommits.map(({ prNumber, description }) => {
+      if (prNumber) {
+        const suffix = `([#${prNumber}](${repoUrl}/pull/${prNumber}))`;
+        return `${description} ${suffix}`;
+      }
+      return description;
     });
+
+    for (const description of newChangeEntries.reverse()) {
+      changelog.addChange({
+        version: isReleaseCandidate ? currentVersion : undefined,
+        category: ChangeCategory.Uncategorized,
+        description,
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   return changelog.toString();
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 9d9892a..62581cb 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -437,6 +437,48 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@ethereumjs/common@npm:^3.2.0":
+  version: 3.2.0
+  resolution: "@ethereumjs/common@npm:3.2.0"
+  dependencies:
+    "@ethereumjs/util": ^8.1.0
+    crc-32: ^1.2.0
+  checksum: cb9cc11f5c868cb577ba611cebf55046e509218bbb89b47ccce010776dafe8256d70f8f43fab238aec74cf71f62601cd5842bc03a83261200802de365732a14b
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"@ethereumjs/rlp@npm:^4.0.1":
+  version: 4.0.1
+  resolution: "@ethereumjs/rlp@npm:4.0.1"
+  bin:
+    rlp: bin/rlp
+  checksum: 30db19c78faa2b6ff27275ab767646929207bb207f903f09eb3e4c273ce2738b45f3c82169ddacd67468b4f063d8d96035f2bf36f02b6b7e4d928eefe2e3ecbc
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"@ethereumjs/tx@npm:^4.1.2":
+  version: 4.2.0
+  resolution: "@ethereumjs/tx@npm:4.2.0"
+  dependencies:
+    "@ethereumjs/common": ^3.2.0
+    "@ethereumjs/rlp": ^4.0.1
+    "@ethereumjs/util": ^8.1.0
+    ethereum-cryptography: ^2.0.0
+  checksum: 87a3f5f2452cfbf6712f8847525a80c213210ed453c211c793c5df801fe35ecef28bae17fadd222fcbdd94277478a47e52d2b916a90a6b30cda21f1e0cdaee42
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"@ethereumjs/util@npm:^8.1.0":
+  version: 8.1.0
+  resolution: "@ethereumjs/util@npm:8.1.0"
+  dependencies:
+    "@ethereumjs/rlp": ^4.0.1
+    ethereum-cryptography: ^2.0.0
+    micro-ftch: ^0.3.1
+  checksum: 9ae5dee8f12b0faf81cd83f06a41560e79b0ba96a48262771d897a510ecae605eb6d84f687da001ab8ccffd50f612ae50f988ef76e6312c752897f462f3ac08d
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@gar/promisify@npm:^1.1.3":
   version: 1.1.3
   resolution: "@gar/promisify@npm:1.1.3"
@@ -717,6 +759,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@metamask/eslint-config-jest": ^11.1.0
     "@metamask/eslint-config-nodejs": ^11.1.0
     "@metamask/eslint-config-typescript": ^11.1.0
+    "@metamask/utils": ^8.1.0
     "@types/cross-spawn": ^6.0.2
     "@types/diff": ^5.0.0
     "@types/jest": ^26.0.23
@@ -795,6 +838,43 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@metamask/utils@npm:^8.1.0":
+  version: 8.1.0
+  resolution: "@metamask/utils@npm:8.1.0"
+  dependencies:
+    "@ethereumjs/tx": ^4.1.2
+    "@noble/hashes": ^1.3.1
+    "@types/debug": ^4.1.7
+    debug: ^4.3.4
+    semver: ^7.5.4
+    superstruct: ^1.0.3
+  checksum: 4cbee36d0c227f3e528930e83f75a0c6b71b55b332c3e162f0e87f3dd86ae017d0b20405d76ea054ab99e4d924d3d9b8b896ed12a12aae57b090350e5a625999
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"@noble/curves@npm:1.1.0, @noble/curves@npm:~1.1.0":
+  version: 1.1.0
+  resolution: "@noble/curves@npm:1.1.0"
+  dependencies:
+    "@noble/hashes": 1.3.1
+  checksum: 2658cdd3f84f71079b4e3516c47559d22cf4b55c23ac8ee9d2b1f8e5b72916d9689e59820e0f9d9cb4a46a8423af5b56dc6bb7782405c88be06a015180508db5
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"@noble/hashes@npm:1.3.1":
+  version: 1.3.1
+  resolution: "@noble/hashes@npm:1.3.1"
+  checksum: 7fdefc0f7a0c1ec27acc6ff88841793e3f93ec4ce6b8a6a12bfc0dd70ae6b7c4c82fe305fdfeda1735d5ad4a9eebe761e6693b3d355689c559e91242f4bc95b1
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"@noble/hashes@npm:^1.3.1, @noble/hashes@npm:~1.3.0, @noble/hashes@npm:~1.3.1":
+  version: 1.3.2
+  resolution: "@noble/hashes@npm:1.3.2"
+  checksum: fe23536b436539d13f90e4b9be843cc63b1b17666a07634a2b1259dded6f490be3d050249e6af98076ea8f2ea0d56f578773c2197f2aa0eeaa5fba5bc18ba474
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@nodelib/fs.scandir@npm:2.1.5":
   version: 2.1.5
   resolution: "@nodelib/fs.scandir@npm:2.1.5"
@@ -871,6 +951,34 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@scure/base@npm:~1.1.0":
+  version: 1.1.3
+  resolution: "@scure/base@npm:1.1.3"
+  checksum: 1606ab8a4db898cb3a1ada16c15437c3bce4e25854fadc8eb03ae93cbbbac1ed90655af4b0be3da37e12056fef11c0374499f69b9e658c9e5b7b3e06353c630c
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"@scure/bip32@npm:1.3.1":
+  version: 1.3.1
+  resolution: "@scure/bip32@npm:1.3.1"
+  dependencies:
+    "@noble/curves": ~1.1.0
+    "@noble/hashes": ~1.3.1
+    "@scure/base": ~1.1.0
+  checksum: 394d65f77a40651eba21a5096da0f4233c3b50d422864751d373fcf142eeedb94a1149f9ab1dbb078086dab2d0bc27e2b1afec8321bf22d4403c7df2fea5bfe2
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"@scure/bip39@npm:1.2.1":
+  version: 1.2.1
+  resolution: "@scure/bip39@npm:1.2.1"
+  dependencies:
+    "@noble/hashes": ~1.3.0
+    "@scure/base": ~1.1.0
+  checksum: c5bd6f1328fdbeae2dcdd891825b1610225310e5e62a4942714db51066866e4f7bef242c7b06a1b9dcc8043a4a13412cf5c5df76d3b10aa9e36b82e9b6e3eeaa
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@sinonjs/commons@npm:^1.7.0":
   version: 1.8.1
   resolution: "@sinonjs/commons@npm:1.8.1"
@@ -953,6 +1061,15 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@types/debug@npm:^4.1.7":
+  version: 4.1.9
+  resolution: "@types/debug@npm:4.1.9"
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/ms": "*"
+  checksum: e88ee8b19d106f33eb0d3bc58bacff9702e98d821fd1ebd1de8942e6b97419e19a1ccf39370f1764a1dc66f79fd4619f3412e1be6eeb9f0b76412f5ffe4ead93
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@types/diff@npm:^5.0.0":
   version: 5.0.0
   resolution: "@types/diff@npm:5.0.0"
@@ -1018,6 +1135,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@types/ms@npm:*":
+  version: 0.7.32
+  resolution: "@types/ms@npm:0.7.32"
+  checksum: 610744605c5924aa2657c8a62d307052af4f0e38e2aa015f154ef03391fabb4fd903f9c9baacb41f6e5798b8697e898463c351e5faf638738603ed29137b5254
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@types/node@npm:*":
   version: 20.1.1
   resolution: "@types/node@npm:20.1.1"
@@ -2022,6 +2146,15 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"crc-32@npm:^1.2.0":
+  version: 1.2.2
+  resolution: "crc-32@npm:1.2.2"
+  bin:
+    crc32: bin/crc32.njs
+  checksum: ad2d0ad0cbd465b75dcaeeff0600f8195b686816ab5f3ba4c6e052a07f728c3e70df2e3ca9fd3d4484dc4ba70586e161ca5a2334ec8bf5a41bf022a6103ff243
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "cross-spawn@npm:^6.0.0":
   version: 6.0.5
   resolution: "cross-spawn@npm:6.0.5"
@@ -2720,6 +2853,18 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"ethereum-cryptography@npm:^2.0.0":
+  version: 2.1.2
+  resolution: "ethereum-cryptography@npm:2.1.2"
+  dependencies:
+    "@noble/curves": 1.1.0
+    "@noble/hashes": 1.3.1
+    "@scure/bip32": 1.3.1
+    "@scure/bip39": 1.2.1
+  checksum: 2e8f7b8cc90232ae838ab6a8167708e8362621404d26e79b5d9e762c7b53d699f7520aff358d9254de658fcd54d2d0af168ff909943259ed27dc4cef2736410c
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "exec-sh@npm:^0.3.2":
   version: 0.3.4
   resolution: "exec-sh@npm:0.3.4"
@@ -4838,6 +4983,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"micro-ftch@npm:^0.3.1":
+  version: 0.3.1
+  resolution: "micro-ftch@npm:0.3.1"
+  checksum: 0e496547253a36e98a83fb00c628c53c3fb540fa5aaeaf718438873785afd193244988c09d219bb1802984ff227d04938d9571ef90fe82b48bd282262586aaff
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "micromatch@npm:^3.1.4":
   version: 3.1.10
   resolution: "micromatch@npm:3.1.10"
@@ -6069,6 +6221,17 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"semver@npm:^7.5.4":
+  version: 7.5.4
+  resolution: "semver@npm:7.5.4"
+  dependencies:
+    lru-cache: ^6.0.0
+  bin:
+    semver: bin/semver.js
+  checksum: 12d8ad952fa353b0995bf180cdac205a4068b759a140e5d3c608317098b3575ac2f1e09182206bf2eb26120e1c0ed8fb92c48c592f6099680de56bb071423ca3
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "set-blocking@npm:^2.0.0, set-blocking@npm:~2.0.0":
   version: 2.0.0
   resolution: "set-blocking@npm:2.0.0"
@@ -6505,6 +6668,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"superstruct@npm:^1.0.3":
+  version: 1.0.3
+  resolution: "superstruct@npm:1.0.3"
+  checksum: 761790bb111e6e21ddd608299c252f3be35df543263a7ebbc004e840d01fcf8046794c274bcb351bdf3eae4600f79d317d085cdbb19ca05803a4361840cc9bb1
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "supports-color@npm:^5.3.0":
   version: 5.5.0
   resolution: "supports-color@npm:5.5.0"