diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0b872811..1fdfb145 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ With this example:
 | `parserOpts`   | Additional [conventional-commits-parser](https://github.com/conventional-changelog/conventional-changelog/tree/master/packages/conventional-commits-parser#conventionalcommitsparseroptions) options that will extends the ones loaded by `preset` or `config`. This is convenient to use a [conventional-changelog](https://github.com/conventional-changelog/conventional-changelog) preset with some customizations without having to create a new module.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | -                                                                                                                                 |
 | `releaseRules` | An external module, a path to a module or an `Array` of rules. See [`releaseRules`](#releaserules).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | See [`releaseRules`](#releaserules)                                                                                               |
 | `presetConfig` | Additional configuration passed to the [conventional-changelog](https://github.com/conventional-changelog/conventional-changelog) preset. Used for example with [conventional-changelog-conventionalcommits](https://github.com/conventional-changelog/conventional-changelog-config-spec/blob/master/versions/2.0.0/README.md).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | -                                                                                                                                 |
+| `useDefaultReleaseRules` | Boolean to control whether or not to use the default rules. See [default rules](lib/default-release-rules.js).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | `false`                                                                                                                                 |
 
 **Notes**: in order to use a `preset` it must be installed (for example to use the [eslint preset](https://github.com/conventional-changelog/conventional-changelog/tree/master/packages/conventional-changelog-eslint) you must install it with `npm install conventional-changelog-eslint -D`)
 
@@ -182,3 +183,23 @@ module.exports = [
   {type: 'refactor', release: 'patch'},
 ];
 ```
+##### Ignoring default rules
+
+If you want to sepcify your own custom commit style you can set the `useDefaultReleaseRules` property to `false`. And the [default rules](lib/default-release-rules.js) won't be used:
+```json
+{
+  "plugins": [
+    ["@semantic-release/commit-analyzer", {
+      "useDefaultReleaseRules": false,
+      "releaseRules": [
+        {"tag": "Major", "release": "major"},
+        {"tag": "Minor", "release": "minor"},
+        {"tag": "Patch", "release": "patch"}
+      ]
+    }],
+    "@semantic-release/release-notes-generator"
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+**Notes**: The value of the `preset` property will not have any effect when ignoring the default rules.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 65d4f298..287b6eda 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ const DEFAULT_RELEASE_RULES = require('./lib/default-release-rules');
  * @param {String} pluginConfig.preset conventional-changelog preset ('angular', 'atom', 'codemirror', 'ember', 'eslint', 'express', 'jquery', 'jscs', 'jshint')
  * @param {String} pluginConfig.config Requierable npm package with a custom conventional-changelog preset
  * @param {String|Array} pluginConfig.releaseRules A `String` to load an external module or an `Array` of rules.
+ * @param {Boolean} pluginConfig.useDefaultReleaseRules A `Boolean` to control whether to use the default rules or not.
  * @param {Object} pluginConfig.parserOpts Additional `conventional-changelog-parser` options that will overwrite ones loaded by `preset` or `config`.
  * @param {Object} context The semantic-release context.
  * @param {Array<Object>} context.commits The commits to analyze.
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ const DEFAULT_RELEASE_RULES = require('./lib/default-release-rules');
 async function analyzeCommits(pluginConfig, context) {
   const {commits, logger} = context;
   const releaseRules = loadReleaseRules(pluginConfig, context);
+  const {useDefaultReleaseRules = true} = pluginConfig;
   const config = await loadParserConfig(pluginConfig, context);
   let releaseType = null;
 
@@ -50,8 +52,8 @@ async function analyzeCommits(pluginConfig, context) {
       commitReleaseType = analyzeCommit(releaseRules, commit);
     }
 
-    // If no custom releaseRules or none matched the commit, try with default releaseRules
-    if (isUndefined(commitReleaseType)) {
+    // If default releaseRules should be used, and no custom releaseRules, or none matched the commit: try with default releaseRules
+    if (useDefaultReleaseRules && isUndefined(commitReleaseType)) {
       debug('Analyzing with default rules');
       commitReleaseType = analyzeCommit(DEFAULT_RELEASE_RULES, commit);
     }