diff --git a/releases/__init__.py b/releases/__init__.py
index 7e71158..d589b54 100644
--- a/releases/__init__.py
+++ b/releases/__init__.py
@@ -421,11 +421,18 @@ def handle_first_release_line(entries, manager):
     # It's remotely possible the changelog is totally empty...
     if not entries:
         return
+    # Obtain (short-circuiting) first Release obj.
+    first_release = None
     for obj in entries:
         if isinstance(obj, Release):
+            first_release = obj
             break
-    # Here, obj must be the 1st release item. Set it up.
-    manager.add_family(obj.family)
+    # It's also possible it's non-empty but has no releases yet.
+    if first_release:
+        manager.add_family(obj.family)
+    # If God did not exist, man would be forced to invent him.
+    else:
+        manager.add_family(0)
 
 
 def construct_releases(entries, app):
diff --git a/tests/organization.py b/tests/organization.py
index c5d104f..003febc 100644
--- a/tests/organization.py
+++ b/tests/organization.py
@@ -426,6 +426,17 @@ class organization(Spec):
         }
         expect_releases(entries, expected)
 
+    def changelogs_without_any_releases_display_unreleased_normally(self):
+        changelog = releases(self.f, self.b, skip_initial=True)
+        # Ensure only the two unreleased 'releases' showed up
+        eq_(len(changelog), 2)
+        # And assert that both items appeared in one of them (since there's no
+        # real releases at all, the bugfixes are treated as 'major' bugs, as
+        # per concepts doc.)
+        bugfix, feature = changelog
+        eq_(len(feature['entries']), 2)
+        eq_(len(bugfix['entries']), 0)
+
     class unstable_prehistory:
         def _expect_releases(self, *args, **kwargs):
             """