diff --git a/integrations/api_releases_test.go b/integrations/api_releases_test.go
index 26bf752cca..027b282036 100644
--- a/integrations/api_releases_test.go
+++ b/integrations/api_releases_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ package integrations
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
+	"net/url"
 	"testing"
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models"
@@ -16,6 +17,58 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
+func TestAPIListReleases(t *testing.T) {
+	defer prepareTestEnv(t)()
+
+	repo := models.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &models.Repository{ID: 1}).(*models.Repository)
+	user2 := models.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &models.User{ID: 2}).(*models.User)
+	session := loginUser(t, user2.LowerName)
+	token := getTokenForLoggedInUser(t, session)
+
+	link, _ := url.Parse(fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/releases", user2.Name, repo.Name))
+	link.RawQuery = url.Values{"token": {token}}.Encode()
+	resp := session.MakeRequest(t, NewRequest(t, "GET", link.String()), http.StatusOK)
+	var apiReleases []*api.Release
+	DecodeJSON(t, resp, &apiReleases)
+	if assert.Len(t, apiReleases, 3) {
+		for _, release := range apiReleases {
+			switch release.ID {
+			case 1:
+				assert.False(t, release.IsDraft)
+				assert.False(t, release.IsPrerelease)
+			case 4:
+				assert.True(t, release.IsDraft)
+				assert.False(t, release.IsPrerelease)
+			case 5:
+				assert.False(t, release.IsDraft)
+				assert.True(t, release.IsPrerelease)
+			default:
+				assert.NoError(t, fmt.Errorf("unexpected release: %v", release))
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// test filter
+	testFilterByLen := func(auth bool, query url.Values, expectedLength int, msgAndArgs ...string) {
+		link.RawQuery = query.Encode()
+		if auth {
+			query.Set("token", token)
+			resp = session.MakeRequest(t, NewRequest(t, "GET", link.String()), http.StatusOK)
+		} else {
+			resp = MakeRequest(t, NewRequest(t, "GET", link.String()), http.StatusOK)
+		}
+		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &apiReleases)
+		assert.Len(t, apiReleases, expectedLength, msgAndArgs)
+	}
+
+	testFilterByLen(false, url.Values{"draft": {"true"}}, 0, "anon should not see drafts")
+	testFilterByLen(true, url.Values{"draft": {"true"}}, 1, "repo owner should see drafts")
+	testFilterByLen(true, url.Values{"draft": {"false"}}, 2, "exclude drafts")
+	testFilterByLen(true, url.Values{"draft": {"false"}, "pre-release": {"false"}}, 1, "exclude drafts and pre-releases")
+	testFilterByLen(true, url.Values{"pre-release": {"true"}}, 1, "only get pre-release")
+	testFilterByLen(true, url.Values{"draft": {"true"}, "pre-release": {"true"}}, 0, "there is no pre-release draft")
+}
+
 func createNewReleaseUsingAPI(t *testing.T, session *TestSession, token string, owner *models.User, repo *models.Repository, name, target, title, desc string) *api.Release {
 	urlStr := fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/releases?token=%s",
 		owner.Name, repo.Name, token)
diff --git a/integrations/api_repo_test.go b/integrations/api_repo_test.go
index cfd3b58d64..1ca4575508 100644
--- a/integrations/api_repo_test.go
+++ b/integrations/api_repo_test.go
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ func TestAPIViewRepo(t *testing.T) {
 	DecodeJSON(t, resp, &repo)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, repo.ID)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, "repo1", repo.Name)
-	assert.EqualValues(t, 2, repo.Releases)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 3, repo.Releases)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, repo.OpenIssues)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 3, repo.OpenPulls)
 
diff --git a/integrations/release_test.go b/integrations/release_test.go
index 365bc04d87..ac5df315d5 100644
--- a/integrations/release_test.go
+++ b/integrations/release_test.go
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func TestCreateRelease(t *testing.T) {
 	session := loginUser(t, "user2")
 	createNewRelease(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.1", "v0.0.1", false, false)
 
-	checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.1", i18n.Tr("en", "repo.release.stable"), 3)
+	checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.1", i18n.Tr("en", "repo.release.stable"), 4)
 }
 
 func TestCreateReleasePreRelease(t *testing.T) {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func TestCreateReleasePreRelease(t *testing.T) {
 	session := loginUser(t, "user2")
 	createNewRelease(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.1", "v0.0.1", true, false)
 
-	checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.1", i18n.Tr("en", "repo.release.prerelease"), 3)
+	checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.1", i18n.Tr("en", "repo.release.prerelease"), 4)
 }
 
 func TestCreateReleaseDraft(t *testing.T) {
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func TestCreateReleaseDraft(t *testing.T) {
 	session := loginUser(t, "user2")
 	createNewRelease(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.1", "v0.0.1", false, true)
 
-	checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.1", i18n.Tr("en", "repo.release.draft"), 3)
+	checkLatestReleaseAndCount(t, session, "/user2/repo1", "v0.0.1", i18n.Tr("en", "repo.release.draft"), 4)
 }
 
 func TestCreateReleasePaging(t *testing.T) {
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func TestViewReleaseListNoLogin(t *testing.T) {
 
 	htmlDoc := NewHTMLParser(t, rsp.Body)
 	releases := htmlDoc.Find("#release-list li.ui.grid")
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, releases.Length())
+	assert.Equal(t, 2, releases.Length())
 
 	links := make([]string, 0, 5)
 	releases.Each(func(i int, s *goquery.Selection) {
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func TestViewReleaseListNoLogin(t *testing.T) {
 		links = append(links, link)
 	})
 
-	assert.EqualValues(t, []string{"/user2/repo1/releases/tag/v1.1"}, links)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, []string{"/user2/repo1/releases/tag/v1.0", "/user2/repo1/releases/tag/v1.1"}, links)
 }
 
 func TestViewReleaseListLogin(t *testing.T) {
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func TestViewReleaseListLogin(t *testing.T) {
 
 	htmlDoc := NewHTMLParser(t, rsp.Body)
 	releases := htmlDoc.Find("#release-list li.ui.grid")
-	assert.Equal(t, 2, releases.Length())
+	assert.Equal(t, 3, releases.Length())
 
 	links := make([]string, 0, 5)
 	releases.Each(func(i int, s *goquery.Selection) {
@@ -180,8 +180,11 @@ func TestViewReleaseListLogin(t *testing.T) {
 		links = append(links, link)
 	})
 
-	assert.EqualValues(t, []string{"/user2/repo1/releases/tag/draft-release",
-		"/user2/repo1/releases/tag/v1.1"}, links)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, []string{
+		"/user2/repo1/releases/tag/draft-release",
+		"/user2/repo1/releases/tag/v1.0",
+		"/user2/repo1/releases/tag/v1.1",
+	}, links)
 }
 
 func TestViewTagsList(t *testing.T) {
@@ -197,12 +200,12 @@ func TestViewTagsList(t *testing.T) {
 
 	htmlDoc := NewHTMLParser(t, rsp.Body)
 	tags := htmlDoc.Find(".tag-list tr")
-	assert.Equal(t, 2, tags.Length())
+	assert.Equal(t, 3, tags.Length())
 
 	tagNames := make([]string, 0, 5)
 	tags.Each(func(i int, s *goquery.Selection) {
 		tagNames = append(tagNames, s.Find(".tag a.df.ac").Text())
 	})
 
-	assert.EqualValues(t, []string{"delete-tag", "v1.1"}, tagNames)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, []string{"v1.0", "delete-tag", "v1.1"}, tagNames)
 }
diff --git a/models/fixtures/release.yml b/models/fixtures/release.yml
index 5e577d3fdd..1703f959d2 100644
--- a/models/fixtures/release.yml
+++ b/models/fixtures/release.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
--
-  id: 1
+- id: 1
   repo_id: 1
   publisher_id: 2
   tag_name: "v1.1"
@@ -13,8 +12,7 @@
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684800
 
--
-  id: 2
+- id: 2
   repo_id: 40
   publisher_id: 2
   tag_name: "v1.1"
@@ -28,8 +26,7 @@
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 946684800
 
--
-  id: 3
+- id: 3
   repo_id: 1
   publisher_id: 2
   tag_name: "delete-tag"
@@ -43,8 +40,7 @@
   is_tag: true
   created_unix: 946684800
 
--
-  id: 4
+- id: 4
   repo_id: 1
   publisher_id: 2
   tag_name: "draft-release"
@@ -55,3 +51,18 @@
   is_prerelease: false
   is_tag: false
   created_unix: 1619524806
+
+- id: 5
+  repo_id: 1
+  publisher_id: 2
+  tag_name: "v1.0"
+  lower_tag_name: "v1.0"
+  target: "master"
+  title: "pre-release"
+  note: "some text for a pre release"
+  sha1: "65f1bf27bc3bf70f64657658635e66094edbcb4d"
+  num_commits: 1
+  is_draft: false
+  is_prerelease: true
+  is_tag: false
+  created_unix: 946684800
diff --git a/models/release.go b/models/release.go
index 13b8f17218..1ce88a8210 100644
--- a/models/release.go
+++ b/models/release.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/timeutil"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
 
 	"xorm.io/builder"
 )
@@ -173,6 +174,8 @@ type FindReleasesOptions struct {
 	ListOptions
 	IncludeDrafts bool
 	IncludeTags   bool
+	IsPreRelease  util.OptionalBool
+	IsDraft       util.OptionalBool
 	TagNames      []string
 }
 
@@ -189,6 +192,12 @@ func (opts *FindReleasesOptions) toConds(repoID int64) builder.Cond {
 	if len(opts.TagNames) > 0 {
 		cond = cond.And(builder.In("tag_name", opts.TagNames))
 	}
+	if !opts.IsPreRelease.IsNone() {
+		cond = cond.And(builder.Eq{"is_prerelease": opts.IsPreRelease.IsTrue()})
+	}
+	if !opts.IsDraft.IsNone() {
+		cond = cond.And(builder.Eq{"is_draft": opts.IsDraft.IsTrue()})
+	}
 	return cond
 }
 
@@ -206,6 +215,11 @@ func GetReleasesByRepoID(repoID int64, opts FindReleasesOptions) ([]*Release, er
 	return rels, sess.Find(&rels)
 }
 
+// CountReleasesByRepoID returns a number of releases matching FindReleaseOptions and RepoID.
+func CountReleasesByRepoID(repoID int64, opts FindReleasesOptions) (int64, error) {
+	return x.Where(opts.toConds(repoID)).Count(new(Release))
+}
+
 // GetLatestReleaseByRepoID returns the latest release for a repository
 func GetLatestReleaseByRepoID(repoID int64) (*Release, error) {
 	cond := builder.NewCond().
diff --git a/modules/context/context.go b/modules/context/context.go
index 492b3f80de..7b3fd2899a 100644
--- a/modules/context/context.go
+++ b/modules/context/context.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/templates"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/translation"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/web/middleware"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/auth"
 
@@ -319,6 +320,11 @@ func (ctx *Context) QueryBool(key string, defaults ...bool) bool {
 	return (*Forms)(ctx.Req).MustBool(key, defaults...)
 }
 
+// QueryOptionalBool returns request form as OptionalBool with default
+func (ctx *Context) QueryOptionalBool(key string, defaults ...util.OptionalBool) util.OptionalBool {
+	return (*Forms)(ctx.Req).MustOptionalBool(key, defaults...)
+}
+
 // HandleText handles HTTP status code
 func (ctx *Context) HandleText(status int, title string) {
 	if (status/100 == 4) || (status/100 == 5) {
diff --git a/modules/context/form.go b/modules/context/form.go
index c7b76c614c..e3afad0a90 100644
--- a/modules/context/form.go
+++ b/modules/context/form.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"text/template"
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/log"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
 )
 
 // Forms a new enhancement of http.Request
@@ -225,3 +226,16 @@ func (f *Forms) MustBool(key string, defaults ...bool) bool {
 	}
 	return v
 }
+
+// MustOptionalBool returns request form as OptionalBool with default
+func (f *Forms) MustOptionalBool(key string, defaults ...util.OptionalBool) util.OptionalBool {
+	value := (*http.Request)(f).FormValue(key)
+	if len(value) == 0 {
+		return util.OptionalBoolNone
+	}
+	v, err := strconv.ParseBool((*http.Request)(f).FormValue(key))
+	if len(defaults) > 0 && err != nil {
+		return defaults[0]
+	}
+	return util.OptionalBoolOf(v)
+}
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/release.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/release.go
index 327a2d790b..1b52de55ff 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/release.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/release.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package repo
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models"
@@ -83,6 +84,14 @@ func ListReleases(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//   description: name of the repo
 	//   type: string
 	//   required: true
+	// - name: draft
+	//   in: query
+	//   description: filter (exclude / include) drafts, if you dont have repo write access none will show
+	//   type: boolean
+	// - name: pre-release
+	//   in: query
+	//   description: filter (exclude / include) pre-releases
+	//   type: boolean
 	// - name: per_page
 	//   in: query
 	//   description: page size of results, deprecated - use limit
@@ -100,15 +109,19 @@ func ListReleases(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//   "200":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/ReleaseList"
 	listOptions := utils.GetListOptions(ctx)
-	if ctx.QueryInt("per_page") != 0 {
+	if listOptions.PageSize == 0 && ctx.QueryInt("per_page") != 0 {
 		listOptions.PageSize = ctx.QueryInt("per_page")
 	}
 
-	releases, err := models.GetReleasesByRepoID(ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, models.FindReleasesOptions{
+	opts := models.FindReleasesOptions{
 		ListOptions:   listOptions,
 		IncludeDrafts: ctx.Repo.AccessMode >= models.AccessModeWrite,
 		IncludeTags:   false,
-	})
+		IsDraft:       ctx.QueryOptionalBool("draft"),
+		IsPreRelease:  ctx.QueryOptionalBool("pre-release"),
+	}
+
+	releases, err := models.GetReleasesByRepoID(ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, opts)
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Error(http.StatusInternalServerError, "GetReleasesByRepoID", err)
 		return
@@ -121,6 +134,16 @@ func ListReleases(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 		}
 		rels[i] = convert.ToRelease(release)
 	}
+
+	filteredCount, err := models.CountReleasesByRepoID(ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, opts)
+	if err != nil {
+		ctx.InternalServerError(err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	ctx.SetLinkHeader(int(filteredCount), listOptions.PageSize)
+	ctx.Header().Set("X-Total-Count", fmt.Sprint(filteredCount))
+	ctx.Header().Set("Access-Control-Expose-Headers", "X-Total-Count, Link")
 	ctx.JSON(http.StatusOK, rels)
 }
 
diff --git a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
index 23e1333767..18b870517e 100644
--- a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
+++ b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
@@ -8076,6 +8076,18 @@
             "in": "path",
             "required": true
           },
+          {
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "description": "filter (exclude / include) drafts, if you dont have repo write access none will show",
+            "name": "draft",
+            "in": "query"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "description": "filter (exclude / include) pre-releases",
+            "name": "pre-release",
+            "in": "query"
+          },
           {
             "type": "integer",
             "description": "page size of results, deprecated - use limit",