diff --git a/packages/js/src/generators/release-version/release-version.spec.ts b/packages/js/src/generators/release-version/release-version.spec.ts
index 7df5c586e98c7..32bb988760402 100644
--- a/packages/js/src/generators/release-version/release-version.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/js/src/generators/release-version/release-version.spec.ts
@@ -696,6 +696,70 @@ To fix this you will either need to add a package.json file at that location, or
             }
           `);
         });
+
+        it('should update dependents with a prepatch when creating a pre-release version', async () => {
+          expect(readJson(tree, 'libs/my-lib/package.json').version).toEqual(
+            '0.0.1'
+          );
+          expect(
+            readJson(
+              tree,
+              'libs/project-with-dependency-on-my-pkg/package.json'
+            ).version
+          ).toEqual('0.0.1');
+          expect(
+            readJson(
+              tree,
+              'libs/project-with-devDependency-on-my-pkg/package.json'
+            ).version
+          ).toEqual('0.0.1');
+
+          await releaseVersionGenerator(tree, {
+            projects: Object.values(projectGraph.nodes), // version all projects
+            projectGraph,
+            currentVersionResolver: 'disk',
+            specifier: 'prepatch',
+            preid: 'alpha',
+            releaseGroup: createReleaseGroup('independent'),
+          });
+
+          expect(readJson(tree, 'libs/my-lib/package.json'))
+            .toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+            {
+              "name": "my-lib",
+              "version": "0.0.2-alpha.0",
+            }
+          `);
+
+          expect(
+            readJson(
+              tree,
+              'libs/project-with-dependency-on-my-pkg/package.json'
+            )
+          ).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+            {
+              "dependencies": {
+                "my-lib": "0.0.2-alpha.0",
+              },
+              "name": "project-with-dependency-on-my-pkg",
+              "version": "0.0.2-alpha.0",
+            }
+          `);
+          expect(
+            readJson(
+              tree,
+              'libs/project-with-devDependency-on-my-pkg/package.json'
+            )
+          ).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+            {
+              "devDependencies": {
+                "my-lib": "0.0.2-alpha.0",
+              },
+              "name": "project-with-devDependency-on-my-pkg",
+              "version": "0.0.2-alpha.0",
+            }
+          `);
+        });
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/js/src/generators/release-version/release-version.ts b/packages/js/src/generators/release-version/release-version.ts
index 82343018a8b90..ce30a59da2fb5 100644
--- a/packages/js/src/generators/release-version/release-version.ts
+++ b/packages/js/src/generators/release-version/release-version.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,14 @@ import {
 import { sortProjectsTopologically } from './utils/sort-projects-topologically';
 import { updateLockFile } from './utils/update-lock-file';
 
+function resolvePreIdSpecifier(currentSpecifier: string, preid?: string) {
+  if (!currentSpecifier.startsWith('pre') && preid) {
+    return `pre${currentSpecifier}`;
+  }
+
+  return currentSpecifier;
+}
+
 export async function releaseVersionGenerator(
   tree: Tree,
   options: ReleaseVersionGeneratorSchema
@@ -89,7 +97,10 @@ Valid values are: ${validReleaseVersionPrefixes
 
     // Set default for updateDependents
     const updateDependents = options.updateDependents ?? 'auto';
-    const updateDependentsBump = 'patch';
+    const updateDependentsBump = resolvePreIdSpecifier(
+      'patch',
+      options.preid
+    ) as ReleaseType;
 
     // Sort the projects topologically if update dependents is enabled
     // TODO: maybe move this sorting to the command level?
@@ -445,8 +456,13 @@ To fix this you will either need to add a package.json file at that location, or
               );
             } else {
               let extraText = '';
-              if (options.preid && !specifier.startsWith('pre')) {
-                specifier = `pre${specifier}`;
+              const prereleaseSpecifier = resolvePreIdSpecifier(
+                specifier,
+                options.preid
+              );
+
+              if (prereleaseSpecifier !== specifier) {
+                specifier = prereleaseSpecifier;
                 extraText = `, combined with your given preid "${options.preid}"`;
               }
               logger.buffer(
@@ -598,6 +614,7 @@ To fix this you will either need to add a package.json file at that location, or
         options.releaseGroup.projectsRelationship === 'independent'
       );
 
+      // list of projects that depend on the current package
       const allDependentProjects = Object.values(localPackageDependencies)
         .flat()
         .filter((localPackageDependency) => {
@@ -765,7 +782,7 @@ To fix this you will either need to add a package.json file at that location, or
         dependentProject: LocalPackageDependency;
         dependencyPackageName: string;
         newDependencyVersion: string;
-        forceVersionBump: 'major' | 'minor' | 'patch' | false;
+        forceVersionBump: ReleaseType | false;
       }) => {
         const updatedFilePath = joinPathFragments(
           projectNameToPackageRootMap.get(dependentProject.source),