diff --git a/tools/deprecate_version/deprecate_version.py b/tools/deprecate_version/deprecate_version.py
index aba1579734a0..6129ae585f01 100644
--- a/tools/deprecate_version/deprecate_version.py
+++ b/tools/deprecate_version/deprecate_version.py
@@ -57,9 +57,10 @@ def CreateIssues(access_token, runtime_and_pr):
 
   Args:
     access_token: GitHub access token (see comment at top of file).
-    runtime_and_pr: a list of runtime guards and the PRs they were added.
+    runtime_and_pr: a list of runtime guards and the PRs and commits they were added.
   """
-  repo = github.Github(access_token).get_repo('envoyproxy/envoy')
+  git = github.Github(access_token)
+  repo = git.get_repo('envoyproxy/envoy')
 
   # Find GitHub label objects for LABELS.
   labels = []
@@ -70,16 +71,31 @@ def CreateIssues(access_token, runtime_and_pr):
     raise DeprecateVersionError('Unknown labels (expected %s, got %s)' % (LABELS, labels))
 
   issues = []
-  for runtime_guard, pr in runtime_and_pr:
+  for runtime_guard, pr, commit in runtime_and_pr:
     # Who is the author?
-    pr_info = repo.get_pull(pr)
+    if pr:
+      # Extract PR title, number, and author.
+      pr_info = repo.get_pull(pr)
+      change_title = pr_info.title
+      number = ('#%d') % pr
+      login = pr_info.user.login
+    else:
+      # Extract commit message, sha, and author.
+      # Only keep commit message title (remove description), and truncate to 50 characters.
+      change_title = commit.message.split('\n')[0][:50]
+      number = ('commit %s') % commit.hexsha
+      email = commit.author.email
+      # Use the commit author's email to search through users for their login.
+      search_user = git.search_users(email.split('@')[0] + " in:email")
+      login = search_user[0].login if search_user else None
 
     title = '%s deprecation' % (runtime_guard)
-    body = ('#%d (%s) introduced a runtime guarded feature. This issue '
-            'tracks source code cleanup.') % (pr, pr_info.title)
+    body = ('%s (%s) introduced a runtime guarded feature. This issue '
+            'tracks source code cleanup.') % (number, change_title)
+
     print(title)
     print(body)
-    print('  >> Assigning to %s' % pr_info.user.login)
+    print('  >> Assigning to %s' % (login or email))
 
     # TODO(htuch): Figure out how to do this without legacy and faster.
     exists = repo.legacy_search_issues('open', '"%s"' % title) or repo.legacy_search_issues(
@@ -87,7 +103,7 @@ def CreateIssues(access_token, runtime_and_pr):
     if exists:
       print('  >> Issue already exists, not posting!')
     else:
-      issues.append((title, body, pr_info.user))
+      issues.append((title, body, login))
 
   if not issues:
     print('No features to deprecate in this release')
@@ -95,22 +111,23 @@ def CreateIssues(access_token, runtime_and_pr):
 
   if GetConfirmation():
     print('Creating issues...')
-    for title, body, user in issues:
+    for title, body, login in issues:
       try:
-        repo.create_issue(title, body=body, assignees=[user.login], labels=labels)
+        repo.create_issue(title, body=body, assignees=[login], labels=labels)
       except github.GithubException as e:
         try:
-          body += '\ncc @' + user.login
+          if login:
+            body += '\ncc @' + login
           repo.create_issue(title, body=body, labels=labels)
           print(('unable to assign issue %s to %s. Add them to the Envoy proxy org'
-                 'and assign it their way.') % (title, user.login))
+                 'and assign it their way.') % (title, login))
         except github.GithubException as e:
           print('GithubException while creating issue.')
           raise
 
 
 def GetRuntimeAndPr():
-  """Returns a list of tuples of [runtime features to deprecate, PR the feature was added]
+  """Returns a list of tuples of [runtime features to deprecate, PR, commit the feature was added]
   """
   repo = Repo(os.getcwd())
 
@@ -140,14 +157,16 @@ def GetRuntimeAndPr():
         if runtime_guard == 'envoy.reloadable_features.test_feature_true':
           found_test_feature_true = True
           continue
-        pr = (int(re.search('\(#(\d+)\)', commit.message).group(1)))
+        pr_num = re.search('\(#(\d+)\)', commit.message)
+        # Some commits may not come from a PR (if they are part of a security point release).
+        pr = (int(pr_num.group(1))) if pr_num else None
         pr_date = date.fromtimestamp(commit.committed_date)
         removable = (pr_date < removal_date)
         # Add the runtime guard and PR to the list to file issues about.
         print('Flag ' + runtime_guard + ' added at ' + str(pr_date) + ' ' +
               (removable and 'and is safe to remove' or 'is not ready to remove'))
         if removable:
-          features_to_flip.append((runtime_guard, pr))
+          features_to_flip.append((runtime_guard, pr, commit))
   print('Failed to find test_feature_false.  Script needs fixing')
   sys.exit(1)