diff --git a/__snapshots__/java-yoshi.js b/__snapshots__/java-yoshi.js
index 13ac61850..576dc7120 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/java-yoshi.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/java-yoshi.js
@@ -493,8 +493,7 @@ This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/releas
 
 exports['labels'] = {
   "labels": [
-    "autorelease: pending",
-    "type: process"
+    "autorelease: pending"
   ]
 }
 
diff --git a/src/github.ts b/src/github.ts
index 043bbd42a..da8c6c104 100644
--- a/src/github.ts
+++ b/src/github.ts
@@ -473,14 +473,18 @@ export class GitHub {
         repo: this.repo,
       }
     )) as Octokit.Response<Octokit.PullsListResponseItem[]>;
-    for (let i = 0, pull; i < pullsResponse.data.length; i++) {
-      pull = pullsResponse.data[i];
-      for (let ii = 0, label; ii < pull.labels.length; ii++) {
-        label = pull.labels[ii];
-        if (labels.indexOf(label.name) !== -1) {
-          openReleasePRs.push(pull);
+    for (const pull of pullsResponse.data) {
+      let hasAllLabels = false;
+      const observedLabels = pull.labels.map(l => l.name);
+      for (const expectedLabel of labels) {
+        if (observedLabels.includes(expectedLabel)) {
+          hasAllLabels = true;
+        } else {
+          hasAllLabels = false;
+          break;
         }
       }
+      if (hasAllLabels) openReleasePRs.push(pull);
     }
     return openReleasePRs;
   }
diff --git a/src/release-pr.ts b/src/release-pr.ts
index ea0249163..3d4e80556 100644
--- a/src/release-pr.ts
+++ b/src/release-pr.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ export interface ReleaseCandidate {
   previousTag?: string;
 }
 
-const DEFAULT_LABELS = 'autorelease: pending,type: process';
+const DEFAULT_LABELS = 'autorelease: pending';
 
 export class ReleasePR {
   apiUrl: string;
@@ -127,7 +127,10 @@ export class ReleasePR {
         if (includePackageName && !pr.title.includes(` ${this.packageName} `)) {
           continue;
         }
-        checkpoint(`closing pull #${pr.number}`, CheckpointType.Failure);
+        checkpoint(
+          `closing pull #${pr.number} on ${this.repoUrl}`,
+          CheckpointType.Failure
+        );
         await this.gh.closePR(pr.number);
       }
     }
@@ -225,6 +228,10 @@ export class ReleasePR {
     // a return of -1 indicates that PR was not updated.
     if (pr > 0) {
       await this.gh.addLabels(this.labels, pr);
+      checkpoint(
+        `${this.repoUrl} find stale PRs with label "${this.labels.join(',')}"`,
+        CheckpointType.Success
+      );
       await this.closeStaleReleasePRs(pr, includePackageName);
     }
   }
diff --git a/test/github.ts b/test/github.ts
index 5286a3acd..48927342b 100644
--- a/test/github.ts
+++ b/test/github.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 import * as nock from 'nock';
+import { expect } from 'chai';
 nock.disableNetConnect();
 
 import { readFileSync } from 'fs';
@@ -59,4 +60,49 @@ describe('GitHub', () => {
       req.done();
     });
   });
+
+  describe('findOpenReleasePRs', () => {
+    it('returns PRs that have all release labels', async () => {
+      const req = nock('https://api.github.com')
+        .get('/repos/fake/fake/pulls?state=open&per_page=100')
+        .reply(200, [
+          {
+            number: 99,
+            labels: [{ name: 'autorelease: pending' }, { name: 'process' }],
+          },
+          {
+            number: 100,
+            labels: [{ name: 'autorelease: pending' }],
+          },
+        ]);
+      const prs = await github.findOpenReleasePRs([
+        'autorelease: pending',
+        'process',
+      ]);
+      const numbers = prs.map(pr => pr.number);
+      expect(numbers).to.include(99);
+      expect(numbers).to.not.include(100);
+      req.done();
+    });
+
+    it('returns PRs when only one release label is configured', async () => {
+      const req = nock('https://api.github.com')
+        .get('/repos/fake/fake/pulls?state=open&per_page=100')
+        .reply(200, [
+          {
+            number: 99,
+            labels: [{ name: 'autorelease: pending' }, { name: 'process' }],
+          },
+          {
+            number: 100,
+            labels: [{ name: 'autorelease: pending' }],
+          },
+        ]);
+      const prs = await github.findOpenReleasePRs(['autorelease: pending']);
+      const numbers = prs.map(pr => pr.number);
+      expect(numbers).to.include(99);
+      expect(numbers).to.include(100);
+      req.done();
+    });
+  });
 });