diff --git a/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/config/config.spec.ts b/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/config/config.spec.ts
index 29321e41d462a2..dcb8b51ea7ef36 100644
--- a/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/config/config.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/config/config.spec.ts
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -1074,7 +1074,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -1271,7 +1271,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -1453,7 +1453,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -1630,7 +1630,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -2003,7 +2003,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -2121,7 +2121,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                     "commitReferences": true,
                     "versionTitleDate": true,
                   },
-                  "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                  "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
                 },
                 "projects": [
                   "lib-a",
@@ -2304,7 +2304,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                     "commitReferences": true,
                     "versionTitleDate": true,
                   },
-                  "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                  "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
                 },
                 "projects": [
                   "lib-a",
@@ -2327,7 +2327,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                     "commitReferences": true,
                     "versionTitleDate": true,
                   },
-                  "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                  "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
                 },
                 "projects": [
                   "lib-b",
@@ -2507,7 +2507,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                     "commitReferences": true,
                     "versionTitleDate": true,
                   },
-                  "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                  "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
                 },
                 "projects": [
                   "lib-a",
@@ -2580,7 +2580,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -2762,7 +2762,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -2943,7 +2943,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -3120,7 +3120,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -3317,7 +3317,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -3492,7 +3492,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -3679,7 +3679,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -3797,7 +3797,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                     "commitReferences": true,
                     "versionTitleDate": true,
                   },
-                  "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                  "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
                 },
                 "projects": [
                   "nx",
@@ -4047,7 +4047,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": false,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
               "workspaceChangelog": {
                 "createRelease": false,
@@ -4058,7 +4058,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -4176,7 +4176,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                     "commitReferences": false,
                     "versionTitleDate": true,
                   },
-                  "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                  "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
                 },
                 "projects": [
                   "lib-a",
@@ -4245,7 +4245,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
               "workspaceChangelog": {
                 "createRelease": false,
@@ -4256,7 +4256,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -4374,7 +4374,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                     "commitReferences": true,
                     "versionTitleDate": true,
                   },
-                  "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                  "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
                 },
                 "projects": [
                   "lib-a",
@@ -4444,7 +4444,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -4622,7 +4622,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -4798,7 +4798,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -4996,7 +4996,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -5191,7 +5191,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -5382,7 +5382,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                 "commitReferences": true,
                 "versionTitleDate": true,
               },
-              "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+              "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
             },
           },
           "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -5574,7 +5574,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -5769,7 +5769,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                 "commitReferences": true,
                 "versionTitleDate": true,
               },
-              "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+              "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
             },
           },
           "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -5981,7 +5981,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
               "workspaceChangelog": false,
             },
@@ -6100,7 +6100,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                     "commitReferences": true,
                     "versionTitleDate": true,
                   },
-                  "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                  "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
                 },
                 "projects": [
                   "lib-a",
@@ -6136,7 +6136,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                     "commitReferences": true,
                     "versionTitleDate": true,
                   },
-                  "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                  "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
                 },
                 "projects": [
                   "nx",
@@ -6215,7 +6215,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
               "workspaceChangelog": {
                 "createRelease": "github",
@@ -6226,7 +6226,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -6344,7 +6344,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                     "commitReferences": true,
                     "versionTitleDate": true,
                   },
-                  "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                  "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
                 },
                 "projects": [
                   "lib-a",
@@ -6966,7 +6966,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -7150,7 +7150,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -7333,7 +7333,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -7524,7 +7524,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
@@ -7705,7 +7705,7 @@ describe('createNxReleaseConfig()', () => {
                   "commitReferences": true,
                   "versionTitleDate": true,
                 },
-                "renderer": "nx/release/changelog-renderer",
+                "renderer": "../../../../release/changelog-renderer",
               },
             },
             "conventionalCommits": {
diff --git a/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/config/config.ts b/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/config/config.ts
index f0b10862019a92..63a6dd8af0578e 100644
--- a/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/config/config.ts
+++ b/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/config/config.ts
@@ -191,6 +191,8 @@ export async function createNxReleaseConfig(
       userGroups[0].projectsRelationship === 'independent') ||
     (userConfig.projectsRelationship === 'independent' &&
       !userGroups.some((g) => g.projectsRelationship === 'fixed'));
+
+  const defaultRendererPath = '../../../../release/changelog-renderer';
   const WORKSPACE_DEFAULTS: Omit<NxReleaseConfig, 'groups'> = {
     // By default all projects in all groups are released together
     projectsRelationship: workspaceProjectsRelationship,
@@ -211,7 +213,7 @@ export async function createNxReleaseConfig(
             entryWhenNoChanges:
               'This was a version bump only, there were no code changes.',
             file: '{workspaceRoot}/CHANGELOG.md',
-            renderer: 'nx/release/changelog-renderer',
+            renderer: defaultRendererPath,
             renderOptions: {
               authors: true,
               commitReferences: true,
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ export async function createNxReleaseConfig(
             file: '{projectRoot}/CHANGELOG.md',
             entryWhenNoChanges:
               'This was a version bump only for {projectName} to align it with other projects, there were no code changes.',
-            renderer: 'nx/release/changelog-renderer',
+            renderer: defaultRendererPath,
             renderOptions: {
               authors: true,
               commitReferences: true,
@@ -259,7 +261,7 @@ export async function createNxReleaseConfig(
       entryWhenNoChanges:
         'This was a version bump only for {projectName} to align it with other projects, there were no code changes.',
       file: '{projectRoot}/CHANGELOG.md',
-      renderer: 'nx/release/changelog-renderer',
+      renderer: defaultRendererPath,
       renderOptions: {
         authors: true,
         commitReferences: true,
diff --git a/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/utils/shared.spec.ts b/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/utils/shared.spec.ts
index cfd93a6c75361d..49e215a435303a 100644
--- a/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/utils/shared.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/nx/src/command-line/release/utils/shared.spec.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ describe('shared', () => {
               entryWhenNoChanges:
                 'This was a version bump only for {projectName} to align it with other projects, there were no code changes.',
               file: '{projectRoot}/CHANGELOG.md',
-              renderer: 'nx/release/changelog-renderer',
+              renderer: 'custom-changelog-renderer',
               renderOptions: { authors: true },
             },
             releaseTagPattern: '{projectName}-{version}',
diff --git a/packages/nx/src/migrations/update-17-3-0/nx-release-path.ts b/packages/nx/src/migrations/update-17-3-0/nx-release-path.ts
index 12724070e7a195..90c417c721dafc 100644
--- a/packages/nx/src/migrations/update-17-3-0/nx-release-path.ts
+++ b/packages/nx/src/migrations/update-17-3-0/nx-release-path.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import { getIgnoreObject } from '../../utils/ignore';
 
 export default function nxReleasePath(tree: Tree) {
   visitNotIgnoredFiles(tree, '', (file) => {
-    console.log({ file });
     const contents = tree.read(file).toString('utf-8');
     if (
       // the deep import usage should be replaced by the new location