diff --git a/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/patch/patch_command.dart b/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/patch/patch_command.dart
index 2d6b6b71..24b51940 100644
--- a/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/patch/patch_command.dart
+++ b/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/patch/patch_command.dart
@@ -204,10 +204,7 @@ NOTE: this is ${styleBold.wrap('not')} recommended. Asset changes cannot be incl
       );
     }
 
-    codePushClientWrapper.ensureReleaseIsNotActive(
-      release: release,
-      platform: patcher.releaseType.releasePlatform,
-    );
+    assertReleaseIsActive(release: release, patcher: patcher);
 
     try {
       await shorebirdFlutter.installRevision(revision: release.flutterRevision);
@@ -285,6 +282,20 @@ NOTE: this is ${styleBold.wrap('not')} recommended. Asset changes cannot be incl
     );
   }
 
+  void assertReleaseIsActive({
+    required Release release,
+    required Patcher patcher,
+  }) {
+    final releaseStatus =
+        release.platformStatuses[patcher.releaseType.releasePlatform];
+    if (releaseStatus != ReleaseStatus.active) {
+      logger.err('''
+Release ${release.version} is in an incomplete state. It's possible that the original release was terminated or failed to complete.
+Please re-run the release command for this version or create a new release.''');
+      exit(ExitCode.software.code);
+    }
+  }
+
   Future<DiffStatus> assertUnpatchableDiffs({
     required File releaseArtifact,
     required File patchArtifact,
diff --git a/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/patch/patch_command_test.dart b/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/patch/patch_command_test.dart
index 3129cb62..6b3e39cb 100644
--- a/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/patch/patch_command_test.dart
+++ b/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/patch/patch_command_test.dart
@@ -441,10 +441,6 @@ void main() {
                 appId: appId,
                 releaseVersion: releaseVersion,
               ),
-          () => codePushClientWrapper.ensureReleaseIsNotActive(
-                release: any(named: 'release'),
-                platform: releasePlatform,
-              ),
           () => codePushClientWrapper.getReleaseArtifact(
                 appId: appId,
                 releaseId: release.id,
@@ -499,10 +495,6 @@ void main() {
                 choices: any(named: 'choices'),
                 display: captureAny(named: 'display'),
               ),
-          () => codePushClientWrapper.ensureReleaseIsNotActive(
-                release: any(named: 'release'),
-                platform: releasePlatform,
-              ),
           () => codePushClientWrapper.getReleaseArtifact(
                 appId: appId,
                 releaseId: release.id,
@@ -581,10 +573,6 @@ void main() {
                   ),
               () => patcher.buildPatchArtifact(),
               () => patcher.extractReleaseVersionFromArtifact(any()),
-              () => codePushClientWrapper.ensureReleaseIsNotActive(
-                    release: any(named: 'release'),
-                    platform: releasePlatform,
-                  ),
               () => shorebirdFlutter.installRevision(
                     revision: releaseFlutterRevision,
                   ),
@@ -663,6 +651,43 @@ void main() {
       });
     });
 
+    group('when the target release is in a draft state', () {
+      setUp(() {
+        when(
+          () => codePushClientWrapper.getRelease(
+            appId: any(named: 'appId'),
+            releaseVersion: any(named: 'releaseVersion'),
+          ),
+        ).thenAnswer(
+          (_) async => Release(
+            id: 0,
+            appId: appId,
+            version: releaseVersion,
+            flutterRevision: flutterRevision,
+            displayName: '1.2.3+1',
+            platformStatuses: {releasePlatform: ReleaseStatus.draft},
+            createdAt: DateTime(2023),
+            updatedAt: DateTime(2023),
+          ),
+        );
+      });
+
+      test('logs error and exits with code 70', () async {
+        await expectLater(
+          () => runWithOverrides(command.run),
+          exitsWithCode(ExitCode.software),
+        );
+
+        verify(
+          () => logger.err(
+            '''
+Release ${release.version} is in an incomplete state. It's possible that the original release was terminated or failed to complete.
+Please re-run the release command for this version or create a new release.''',
+          ),
+        ).called(1);
+      });
+    });
+
     group('when primary release artifact fails to download', () {
       final error = Exception('Failed to download primary release artifact.');