diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-components-changelog.yml b/.github/workflows/check-components-changelog.yml
index c793337b3bcbe..f45849a74c5f4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-components-changelog.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-components-changelog.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Verify @wordpress/components CHANGELOG update
+name: OPTIONAL - Verify @wordpress/components CHANGELOG update
 
 on:
     pull_request:
@@ -26,10 +26,39 @@ jobs:
                   fetch-depth: ${{ env.PR_COMMIT_COUNT }}
             - name: 'Fetch relevant history from origin'
               run: git fetch origin ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.ref }}
-            - name: Run git diff
+            - name: Check CHANGELOG status
+              env:
+                  PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.number }}
               run: |
                   changelog_path="packages/components/CHANGELOG.md"
+                  optional_check_notice="This isn't a required check, so if you think your changes are small enough that they don't warrant a CHANGELOG entry, please go ahead and merge without one."
+
+                  # Fail if the PR doesn't touch the changelog
                   if git diff --quiet ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }} HEAD -- "$changelog_path"; then
                     echo "Please add a CHANGELOG entry to $changelog_path"
+                    echo
+                    echo "${optional_check_notice}"
                     exit 1
                   fi
+
+                  pr_link_pattern="\(\[#${PR_NUMBER}\]\(https://github\.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/${PR_NUMBER}\)\)"
+                  pr_link_grep_pattern="(\[#${PR_NUMBER}\](https://github\.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/${PR_NUMBER}))"
+
+                  unreleased_section=$(sed -n '/^## Unreleased$/,/^## /p' "${changelog_path}")
+
+                  # Confirm that the CHANGELOG has an entry for the current PR
+                  if ! grep -nq -e "${pr_link_grep_pattern}" "${changelog_path}"; then
+                      echo "Please add a CHANGELOG entry to $changelog_path, and make sure your CHANGELOG entry has a link to the current PR."
+                      echo
+                        echo "${optional_check_notice}"
+                      exit 1
+                  fi
+
+                  # Confirm that there is an 'Unreleased' section and that the relevant entry is in that section
+                  if ! grep -nq -e '^## Unreleased' "${changelog_path}" || \
+                    ! [[ $unreleased_section = *${pr_link_pattern}* ]]; then
+                      echo "Please make sure your CHANGELOG entry is in the \`## Unreleased\` section"
+                      echo
+                      echo "${optional_check_notice}"
+                      exit 1
+                  fi