diff --git a/src/lib/verify.js b/src/lib/verify.js
index 6b6a4340..d8c68381 100644
--- a/src/lib/verify.js
+++ b/src/lib/verify.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+const parseSlug = require('parse-github-repo-url')
+
 const SemanticReleaseError = require('@semantic-release/error')
 
 module.exports = function (pkg, options, env) {
@@ -15,6 +17,11 @@ module.exports = function (pkg, options, env) {
       'No "repository" found in package.json.',
       'ENOPKGREPO'
     ))
+  } else if (!parseSlug(pkg.repository.url)) {
+    errors.push(new SemanticReleaseError(
+      'The "repository" field in the package.json is malformed.',
+      'EMALFORMEDPKGREPO'
+    ))
   }
 
   if (options.debug) return errors
diff --git a/test/specs/verify.js b/test/specs/verify.js
index 731c7812..8c4f34cd 100644
--- a/test/specs/verify.js
+++ b/test/specs/verify.js
@@ -23,6 +23,18 @@ test('verify pkg, options and env', (t) => {
     tt.is(errors[0].code, 'ENOPKGNAME')
     tt.is(errors[1].code, 'ENOPKGREPO')
 
+    const errors2 = verify({
+      name: 'package',
+      repository: {
+        url: 'lol'
+      }
+    }, {
+      debug: true
+    }, {})
+
+    tt.is(errors2.length, 1)
+    tt.is(errors2[0].code, 'EMALFORMEDPKGREPO')
+
     tt.end()
   })