diff --git a/src/semantic_release/cli/changelog_writer.py b/src/semantic_release/cli/changelog_writer.py
index 65e387896..69a3e9ed6 100644
--- a/src/semantic_release/cli/changelog_writer.py
+++ b/src/semantic_release/cli/changelog_writer.py
@@ -230,25 +230,28 @@ def generate_release_notes(
     style: str,
     mask_initial_release: bool,
     license_name: str = "",
+    template_environment: Environment | None = None,
 ) -> str:
     users_tpl_file = template_dir / DEFAULT_RELEASE_NOTES_TPL_FILE
+    has_custom_template = users_tpl_file.is_file()
 
-    # Determine if the user has a custom release notes template or we should use
-    # the default template directory with our default release notes template
     tpl_dir = (
         template_dir
-        if users_tpl_file.is_file()
+        if has_custom_template
         else get_default_tpl_dir(
             style=style, sub_dir=ChangelogOutputFormat.MARKDOWN.value
         )
     )
 
     release_notes_tpl_file = (
-        users_tpl_file.name
-        if users_tpl_file.is_file()
-        else DEFAULT_RELEASE_NOTES_TPL_FILE
+        users_tpl_file.name if has_custom_template else DEFAULT_RELEASE_NOTES_TPL_FILE
     )
 
+    if has_custom_template and template_environment is not None:
+        env = template_environment
+    else:
+        env = environment(autoescape=False, template_dir=tpl_dir)
+
     release_notes_env = ReleaseNotesContext(
         repo_name=hvcs_client.repo_name,
         repo_owner=hvcs_client.owner,
@@ -263,11 +266,7 @@ def generate_release_notes(
             autofit_text_width,
             sort_numerically,
         ),
-    ).bind_to_environment(
-        # Use a new, non-configurable environment for release notes -
-        # not user-configurable at the moment
-        environment(autoescape=False, template_dir=tpl_dir)
-    )
+    ).bind_to_environment(env)
 
     # TODO: Remove in v11
     release_notes_env.globals["context"] = release_notes_env.globals["ctx"] = {
diff --git a/src/semantic_release/cli/commands/changelog.py b/src/semantic_release/cli/commands/changelog.py
index 523c1d2a5..af3c4ed6d 100644
--- a/src/semantic_release/cli/commands/changelog.py
+++ b/src/semantic_release/cli/commands/changelog.py
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ def changelog(cli_ctx: CliContextObj, release_tag: str | None) -> None:
             tag_name=release_tag,
             project_root=runtime.repo_dir,
         ),
+        template_environment=runtime.template_environment,
     )
 
     try:
diff --git a/src/semantic_release/cli/commands/version.py b/src/semantic_release/cli/commands/version.py
index 7a6fa26ef..7a1326fb2 100644
--- a/src/semantic_release/cli/commands/version.py
+++ b/src/semantic_release/cli/commands/version.py
@@ -705,6 +705,7 @@ def version(  # noqa: C901
         style=runtime.changelog_style,
         mask_initial_release=runtime.changelog_mask_initial_release,
         license_name="" if not isinstance(license_cfg, str) else license_cfg,
+        template_environment=runtime.template_environment,
     )
 
     # Preparing for committing changes; we always stage files even if we're not committing them in order to support a two-stage commit
diff --git a/tests/unit/semantic_release/changelog/test_release_notes.py b/tests/unit/semantic_release/changelog/test_release_notes.py
index 02f217bf1..324db98f8 100644
--- a/tests/unit/semantic_release/changelog/test_release_notes.py
+++ b/tests/unit/semantic_release/changelog/test_release_notes.py
@@ -1046,3 +1046,43 @@ def test_default_release_notes_template_w_multiple_notices(
     )
 
     assert expected_content == actual_content
+
+
+def test_release_notes_uses_custom_jinja_extension(
+    example_git_https_url: str,
+    single_release_history: ReleaseHistory,
+    example_project_dir: ExProjectDir,
+    change_to_ex_proj_dir: None,
+):
+    from jinja2.ext import Extension
+
+    from semantic_release.changelog.template import environment
+
+    class CustomExtension(Extension):
+        def __init__(self, environment):
+            super().__init__(environment)
+            environment.filters["shout"] = lambda s: s.upper() + "!"
+
+    version = list(single_release_history.released.keys())[-1]
+    release = single_release_history.released[version]
+    example_project_dir.joinpath(".release_notes.md.j2").write_text(
+        """{{ "hello" | shout }}"""
+    )
+    template_env = environment(
+        template_dir=example_project_dir,
+        extensions=[CustomExtension],  # type: ignore[list-item]
+    )
+
+    expected_content = f"HELLO!{os.linesep}"
+
+    actual_content = generate_release_notes(
+        hvcs_client=Github(remote_url=example_git_https_url),
+        release=release,
+        template_dir=example_project_dir,
+        history=single_release_history,
+        style="conventional",
+        mask_initial_release=False,
+        template_environment=template_env,
+    )
+
+    assert expected_content == actual_content