diff --git a/ethpm_cli/parser.py b/ethpm_cli/parser.py
index fb33fda..03a20ea 100644
--- a/ethpm_cli/parser.py
+++ b/ethpm_cli/parser.py
@@ -150,11 +150,6 @@ def add_package_name_and_package_version_to_parser(
 def release_cmd(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     config = Config(args)
 
-    manifest_uri = args.manifest_uri
-
-    package_name = args.package_name
-    package_version = args.package_version
-
     if args.manifest_path:
         (package_name, package_version, manifest_uri) = pin_local_manifest(
             args.manifest_path
@@ -163,10 +158,18 @@ def release_cmd(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
             f"Retrieving manifest info from local file @ {args.manifest_path} "
         )
 
-    release_package(package_name, package_version, manifest_uri, config)
+        release_package(package_name, package_version, manifest_uri, config)
+        cli_logger.info(
+            f"{package_name} v{package_version} @ {manifest_uri} "
+        )
+    else:
+        release_package(args.package_name, args.package_version, args.manifest_uri, config)
+        cli_logger.info(
+            f"{args.package_name} v{args.package_version} @ {args.manifest_uri} "
+        )
+
     active_registry = get_active_registry(config.xdg_ethpmcli_root / REGISTRY_STORE)
     cli_logger.info(
-        f"{package_name} v{package_version} @ {manifest_uri} "
         f"released to registry @ {active_registry.uri}."
     )
 
diff --git a/tests/core/_utils/test_ipfs.py b/tests/core/_utils/test_ipfs.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1824a7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/core/_utils/test_ipfs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import json
+from ethpm_cli._utils.ipfs import pin_local_manifest
+
+def test_pin_local_manifest(test_assets_dir):
+    local_manifest_path = test_assets_dir / "owned" / "1.0.0.json"
+    expected_manifest = json.loads(
+        local_manifest_path.read_text()
+    )
+    (package_name, package_version, manifest_uri) = pin_local_manifest(local_manifest_path)
+    assert package_name == expected_manifest["package_name"]
+    assert package_version == expected_manifest["version"]
+    assert manifest_uri == "ipfs://QmbeVyFLSuEUxiXKwSsEjef6icpdTdA4kGG9BcrJXKNKUW"
+