diff --git a/.github/mergeable.yml b/.github/mergeable.yml
index 9eeb3615c..5d3dbaac3 100644
--- a/.github/mergeable.yml
+++ b/.github/mergeable.yml
@@ -1,26 +1,15 @@
 version: 2
 mergeable:
   - when: pull_request.*
-    name: "Changelog check"
+    name: "Conventional Commits"
     validate:
-      - do: or
-        validate:
-          - do: description
-            must_include:
-              regex: "#skip-changelog"
-          - do: and
-            validate:
-              - do: dependent
-                changed:
-                  file: "src/**"
-                  required: ["CHANGELOG.md"]
-              - do: dependent
-                changed:
-                  file: "deltachat-ffi/src/**"
-                  required: ["CHANGELOG.md"]
+      - do: title
+        begins_with:
+          match: ['feat', 'fix', 'api', 'refactor', 'perf', 'test', 'style', 'chore', 'cargo']
+
     fail:
       - do: checks
         status: "action_required"
         payload:
-          title: Changelog might need an update
-          summary: "Check if CHANGELOG.md needs an update or add #skip-changelog to the PR description."
+          title: PR title should follow conventional commits
+          summary: "PR title should follow https://conventionalcommits.org. E.g. start with 'feat:' (for Features / Changes), 'fix:' (for Fixes), 'api:' (for API-Changes), 'api!:' (for breaking API-Changes) 'refactor:' (for Refactor), 'perf:' (for Performance), 'test:' (for Tests), 'style:' (for Styling), 'chore:' (for Miscellaneous Tasks)"
diff --git a/cliff.toml b/cliff.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..27d39dc0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cliff.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+# configuration file for git-cliff
+# see https://github.com/orhun/git-cliff#configuration-file
+
+
+[git]
+# parse the commits based on https://www.conventionalcommits.org
+conventional_commits = true
+# filter out the commits that are not conventional
+filter_unconventional = true
+# process each line of a commit as an individual commit
+split_commits = false
+# regex for preprocessing the commit messages
+commit_preprocessors = [
+    { pattern = '\((\w+\s)?#([0-9]+)\)', replace = "([#${2}](https://github.com/deltachat/deltachat-core-rust/PR/${2}))"}, # replace pull request / issue numbers
+]
+# regex for parsing and grouping commits
+commit_parsers = [
+    { message = "^feat", group = "Features / Changes"},
+    { message = "^fix", group = "Fixes"},
+    { message = "^api", group = "API-Changes" },
+    { message = "^refactor", group = "Refactor"},
+    { message = "^perf", group = "Performance"},
+    { message = "^test", group = "Tests"},
+    { message = "^style", group = "Styling"},
+    { message = "^chore\\(release\\): prepare for", skip = true},
+    { message = "^chore", group = "Miscellaneous Tasks"},
+#    { body = ".*security", group = "Security"},
+]
+# protect breaking changes from being skipped due to matching a skipping commit_parser
+protect_breaking_commits = true
+# filter out the commits that are not matched by commit parsers
+filter_commits = true
+# glob pattern for matching git tags
+tag_pattern = "v[0-9]*"
+# regex for skipping tags
+#skip_tags = "v0.1.0-beta.1"
+# regex for ignoring tags
+ignore_tags = ""
+# sort the tags topologically
+topo_order = false
+# sort the commits inside sections by oldest/newest order
+sort_commits = "oldest"
+# limit the number of commits included in the changelog.
+# limit_commits = 42
+
+
+[changelog]
+# changelog header
+header = """
+# Changelog\n
+"""
+# template for the changelog body
+# https://tera.netlify.app/docs/#introduction
+body = """
+{% if version %}\
+    ## [{{ version | trim_start_matches(pat="v") }}] - {{ timestamp | date(format="%Y-%m-%d") }}
+{% else %}\
+    ## [unreleased]
+{% endif %}\
+{% for group, commits in commits | group_by(attribute="group") %}
+    ### {{ group | upper_first }}
+    {% for commit in commits %}
+        - {% if commit.breaking %}[**breaking**] {% endif %}{{ commit.message | upper_first }}\
+	{% for footer in commit.footers %}{% if 'BREAKING CHANGE' in footer.token %}
+	  {% raw %}  {% endraw %}- {{ footer.value }}\
+	{% endif %}{% endfor %}\
+    {% endfor %}
+{% endfor %}\n
+"""
+# remove the leading and trailing whitespace from the template
+trim = true
+# changelog footer
+footer = """
+<!-- generated by git-cliff -->
+"""