diff --git a/src/actions/editorialWorkflow.js b/src/actions/editorialWorkflow.js
index c7e73082..9b1cb70b 100644
--- a/src/actions/editorialWorkflow.js
+++ b/src/actions/editorialWorkflow.js
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ export const UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_PERSIST_SUCCESS = 'UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_PERSIST_SUCC
 export const UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_STATUS_CHANGE_REQUEST = 'UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_STATUS_CHANGE_REQUEST';
 export const UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_STATUS_CHANGE_SUCCESS = 'UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_STATUS_CHANGE_SUCCESS';
 
+export const UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_PUBLISH_REQUEST = 'UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_PUBLISH_REQUEST';
+export const UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_PUBLISH_SUCCESS = 'UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_PUBLISH_SUCCESS';
+
 /*
  * Simple Action Creators (Internal)
  */
@@ -81,7 +84,6 @@ function unpublishedEntryPersistedFail(error) {
   };
 }
 
-
 function unpublishedEntryStatusChangeRequest(collection, slug, oldStatus, newStatus) {
   return {
     type: UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_STATUS_CHANGE_REQUEST,
@@ -96,6 +98,20 @@ function unpublishedEntryStatusChangePersisted(collection, slug, oldStatus, newS
   };
 }
 
+function unpublishedEntryPublishRequest(collection, slug, status) {
+  return {
+    type: UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_PUBLISH_REQUEST,
+    payload: { collection, slug, status }
+  };
+}
+
+function unpublishedEntryPublished(collection, slug, status) {
+  return {
+    type: UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_PUBLISH_SUCCESS,
+    payload: { collection, slug, status }
+  };
+}
+
 /*
  * Exported Thunk Action Creators
  */
@@ -149,3 +165,15 @@ export function updateUnpublishedEntryStatus(collection, slug, oldStatus, newSta
     });
   };
 }
+
+export function publishUnpublishedEntry(collection, slug, status) {
+  return (dispatch, getState) => {
+    const state = getState();
+    const backend = currentBackend(state.config);
+    dispatch(unpublishedEntryPublishRequest(collection, slug, status));
+    backend.publishUnpublishedEntry(collection, slug, status)
+    .then(() => {
+      dispatch(unpublishedEntryPublished(collection, slug, status));
+    });
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/backends/backend.js b/src/backends/backend.js
index db163b74..1cb9bc42 100644
--- a/src/backends/backend.js
+++ b/src/backends/backend.js
@@ -151,6 +151,10 @@ class Backend {
     return this.implementation.updateUnpublishedEntryStatus(collection, slug, newStatus);
   }
 
+  publishUnpublishedEntry(collection, slug, status) {
+    return this.implementation.publishUnpublishedEntry(collection, slug, status);
+  }
+
 
   entryToRaw(collection, entry) {
     const format = resolveFormat(collection, entry);
diff --git a/src/backends/github/API.js b/src/backends/github/API.js
index 196150e8..fe2dc273 100644
--- a/src/backends/github/API.js
+++ b/src/backends/github/API.js
@@ -201,17 +201,24 @@ export default class API {
 
     if (!unpublished) {
       // Open new editorial review workflow for this entry - Create new metadata and commit to new branch
+      const contentKey = options.collectionName ? `${options.collectionName}-${entry.slug}` : entry.slug;
+      const branchName = `cms/${contentKey}`;
+
       return this.getBranch()
       .then(branchData => this.updateTree(branchData.commit.sha, '/', fileTree))
       .then(changeTree => this.commit(options.commitMessage, changeTree))
-      .then((response) => {
-        const contentKey = options.collectionName ? `${options.collectionName}-${entry.slug}` : entry.slug;
-        const branchName = `cms/${contentKey}`;
+      .then(commitResponse => this.createBranch(branchName, commitResponse.sha))
+      .then(branchResponse => this.createPR(options.commitMessage, branchName))
+      .then((prResponse) => {
         return this.user().then(user => {
           return user.name ? user.name : user.login;
         })
         .then(username => this.storeMetadata(contentKey, {
           type: 'PR',
+          pr: {
+            number: prResponse.number,
+            head: prResponse.head && prResponse.head.sha
+          },
           user: username,
           status: status.first(),
           branch: branchName,
@@ -223,9 +230,7 @@ export default class API {
             files: filesList
           },
           timeStamp: new Date().toISOString()
-        }))
-        .then(this.createBranch(branchName, response.sha))
-        .then(this.createPR(options.commitMessage, `cms/${contentKey}`));
+        }));
       });
     } else {
       // Entry is already on editorial review workflow - just update metadata and commit to existing branch
@@ -272,6 +277,16 @@ export default class API {
     .then(updatedMetadata => this.storeMetadata(contentKey, updatedMetadata));
   }
 
+  publishUnpublishedEntry(collection, slug, status) {
+    const contentKey = collection ? `${collection}-${slug}` : slug;
+    return this.retrieveMetadata(contentKey)
+    .then(metadata => {
+      const headSha = metadata.pr && metadata.pr.head;
+      const number = metadata.pr && metadata.pr.number;
+      return this.mergePR(headSha, number);
+    });
+  }
+
   createRef(type, name, sha) {
     return this.request(`${this.repoURL}/git/refs`, {
       method: 'POST',
@@ -306,6 +321,16 @@ export default class API {
     });
   }
 
+  mergePR(headSha, number) {
+    return this.request(`${this.repoURL}/pulls/${number}/merge`, {
+      method: 'PUT',
+      body: JSON.stringify({
+        commit_message: 'Automatically generated. Merged on Netlify CMS.',
+        sha: headSha
+      }),
+    });
+  }
+
   getTree(sha) {
     return sha ? this.request(`${this.repoURL}/git/trees/${sha}`) : Promise.resolve({ tree: [] });
   }
diff --git a/src/backends/github/implementation.js b/src/backends/github/implementation.js
index c744bc46..2d270261 100644
--- a/src/backends/github/implementation.js
+++ b/src/backends/github/implementation.js
@@ -102,4 +102,8 @@ export default class GitHub {
   updateUnpublishedEntryStatus(collection, slug, newStatus) {
     return this.api.updateUnpublishedEntryStatus(collection, slug, newStatus);
   }
+
+  publishUnpublishedEntry(collection, slug, status) {
+    return this.api.publishUnpublishedEntry(collection, slug, status);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/components/UnpublishedListing.css b/src/components/UnpublishedListing.css
index db202e36..ebd7bcd6 100644
--- a/src/components/UnpublishedListing.css
+++ b/src/components/UnpublishedListing.css
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
   width: 100% !important;
   margin: 7px 0;
 
-  & h1 {
+  & h2 {
     font-size: 17px;
     & small {
       font-weight: normal;
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@
     font-size: 12px;
     margin-top: 5px;
   }
+
+  & button {
+    margin: 10px 10px 0 0;
+    float: right;
+  }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/components/UnpublishedListing.js b/src/components/UnpublishedListing.js
index 8fa90bf2..9d09b6a0 100644
--- a/src/components/UnpublishedListing.js
+++ b/src/components/UnpublishedListing.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import ImmutablePropTypes from 'react-immutable-proptypes';
 import moment from 'moment';
 import { Card } from './UI';
 import { Link } from 'react-router';
-import { statusDescriptions } from '../constants/publishModes';
+import { status, statusDescriptions } from '../constants/publishModes';
 import styles from './UnpublishedListing.css';
 
 const CARD = 'card';
@@ -22,56 +22,52 @@ function Column({ connectDropTarget, status, isOver, children }) {
     </div>
   );
 }
-
 const columnTargetSpec = {
   drop(props, monitor) {
     const slug = monitor.getItem().slug;
     const collection = monitor.getItem().collection;
-    const oldStatus = monitor.getItem().currentStatus;
+    const oldStatus = monitor.getItem().ownStatus;
     props.onChangeStatus(collection, slug, oldStatus, props.status);
   }
 };
-
 function columnCollect(connect, monitor) {
   return {
     connectDropTarget: connect.dropTarget(),
     isOver: monitor.isOver()
   };
 }
-
-
 Column = DropTarget(CARD, columnTargetSpec, columnCollect)(Column);
 
 
 /*
  * Card  DropTarget Component
  */
-function EntryCard({ connectDragSource, children }) {
+function EntryCard({ slug, collection, ownStatus, onRequestPublish, connectDragSource, children }) {
   return connectDragSource(
     <div>
       <Card className={styles.card}>
         {children}
+        {(ownStatus === status.last()) &&
+          <button onClick={onRequestPublish}>Publish now</button>
+        }
       </Card>
     </div>
   );
 }
-
 const cardDragSpec = {
   beginDrag(props) {
     return {
       slug: props.slug,
       collection: props.collection,
-      currentStatus: props.status
+      ownStatus: props.ownStatus
     };
   }
 };
-
 function cardCollect(connect, monitor) {
   return {
     connectDragSource: connect.dragSource()
   };
 }
-
 EntryCard = DragSource(CARD, cardDragSpec, cardCollect)(EntryCard);
 
 /*
@@ -81,6 +77,14 @@ class UnpublishedListing extends React.Component {
   constructor(props) {
     super(props);
     this.renderColumns = this.renderColumns.bind(this);
+    this.requestPublish = this.requestPublish.bind(this);
+  }
+
+  requestPublish(collection, slug, ownStatus) {
+    if (ownStatus !== status.last()) return;
+    if (window.confirm('Are you sure you want to publish this entry?')) {
+      this.props.handlePublish(collection, slug, ownStatus);
+    }
   }
 
   renderColumns(entries, column) {
@@ -103,14 +107,18 @@ class UnpublishedListing extends React.Component {
           const author = entry.getIn(['data', 'author'], entry.getIn(['metaData', 'user']));
           const timeStamp = moment(entry.getIn(['metaData', 'timeStamp'])).format('llll');
           const link = `/editorialworkflow/${entry.getIn(['metaData', 'collection'])}/${entry.getIn(['metaData', 'status'])}/${entry.get('slug')}`;
+          const slug = entry.get('slug');
+          const status = entry.getIn(['metaData', 'status']);
+          const collection = entry.getIn(['metaData', 'collection']);
           return (
             <EntryCard
-                key={entry.get('slug')}
-                slug={entry.get('slug')}
-                status={entry.getIn(['metaData', 'status'])}
-                collection={entry.getIn(['metaData', 'collection'])}
+                key={slug}
+                slug={slug}
+                ownStatus={status}
+                collection={collection}
+                onRequestPublish={this.requestPublish.bind(this, collection, slug, status)} // eslint-disable-line
             >
-              <h1><Link to={link}>{entry.getIn(['data', 'title'])}</Link> <small>by {author}</small></h1>
+              <h2><Link to={link}>{entry.getIn(['data', 'title'])}</Link> <small>by {author}</small></h2>
               <p>Last updated: {timeStamp} by {entry.getIn(['metaData', 'user'])}</p>
             </EntryCard>
           );
@@ -122,7 +130,6 @@ class UnpublishedListing extends React.Component {
 
   render() {
     const columns = this.renderColumns(this.props.entries);
-
     return (
       <div className={styles.clear}>
         <h1>Editorial Workflow</h1>
@@ -137,6 +144,7 @@ class UnpublishedListing extends React.Component {
 UnpublishedListing.propTypes = {
   entries: ImmutablePropTypes.orderedMap,
   handleChangeStatus: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  handlePublish: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
 };
 
 export default DragDropContext(HTML5Backend)(UnpublishedListing);
diff --git a/src/containers/App.js b/src/containers/App.js
index 052af2c1..0cfec9fa 100644
--- a/src/containers/App.js
+++ b/src/containers/App.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { connect } from 'react-redux';
 import { loadConfig } from '../actions/config';
 import { loginUser } from '../actions/auth';
 import { currentBackend } from '../backends/backend';
+import { Loader } from '../components/UI';
 import { SHOW_COLLECTION, CREATE_COLLECTION, HELP } from '../actions/findbar';
 import FindBar from './FindBar';
 import styles from './App.css';
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ class App extends React.Component {
 
   configLoading() {
     return <div>
-      <h1>Loading configuration...</h1>
+      <Loader active>Loading configuration...</Loader>
     </div>;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/containers/editorialWorkflow/CollectionPageHOC.js b/src/containers/editorialWorkflow/CollectionPageHOC.js
index b5e14d08..6aeacb71 100644
--- a/src/containers/editorialWorkflow/CollectionPageHOC.js
+++ b/src/containers/editorialWorkflow/CollectionPageHOC.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import React, { PropTypes } from 'react';
 import ImmutablePropTypes from 'react-immutable-proptypes';
 import { OrderedMap } from 'immutable';
-import { loadUnpublishedEntries, updateUnpublishedEntryStatus } from '../../actions/editorialWorkflow';
+import { loadUnpublishedEntries, updateUnpublishedEntryStatus, publishUnpublishedEntry } from '../../actions/editorialWorkflow';
 import { selectUnpublishedEntries } from '../../reducers';
 import { EDITORIAL_WORKFLOW, status } from '../../constants/publishModes';
 import UnpublishedListing from '../../components/UnpublishedListing';
@@ -19,17 +19,17 @@ export default function CollectionPageHOC(CollectionPage) {
       super.componentDidMount();
     }
 
-    handleChangeStatus(collection, slug, oldStatus, newStatus) {
-      this.props.updateUnpublishedEntryStatus(collection, slug, oldStatus, newStatus);
-    }
-
     render() {
-      const { isEditorialWorkflow, unpublishedEntries } = this.props;
+      const { isEditorialWorkflow, unpublishedEntries, updateUnpublishedEntryStatus, publishUnpublishedEntry } = this.props;
       if (!isEditorialWorkflow) return super.render();
 
       return (
         <div className={styles.alignable}>
-          <UnpublishedListing entries={unpublishedEntries} handleChangeStatus={this.handleChangeStatus.bind(this)} />
+          <UnpublishedListing
+              entries={unpublishedEntries}
+              handleChangeStatus={updateUnpublishedEntryStatus}
+              handlePublish={publishUnpublishedEntry}
+          />
           {super.render()}
         </div>
       );
@@ -60,5 +60,8 @@ export default function CollectionPageHOC(CollectionPage) {
     return returnObj;
   }
 
-  return connect(mapStateToProps, { updateUnpublishedEntryStatus })(CollectionPageHOC);
+  return connect(mapStateToProps, {
+    updateUnpublishedEntryStatus,
+    publishUnpublishedEntry
+  })(CollectionPageHOC);
 }
diff --git a/src/reducers/editorialWorkflow.js b/src/reducers/editorialWorkflow.js
index e5dcfd2c..246656f0 100644
--- a/src/reducers/editorialWorkflow.js
+++ b/src/reducers/editorialWorkflow.js
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ import {
   UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_SUCCESS,
   UNPUBLISHED_ENTRIES_REQUEST,
   UNPUBLISHED_ENTRIES_SUCCESS,
-  UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_STATUS_CHANGE_SUCCESS
+  UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_STATUS_CHANGE_SUCCESS,
+  UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_PUBLISH_SUCCESS
 } from '../actions/editorialWorkflow';
 import { CONFIG_SUCCESS } from '../actions/config';
 
@@ -45,19 +46,21 @@ const unpublishedEntries = (state = null, action) => {
       });
 
     case UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_STATUS_CHANGE_SUCCESS:
-      const { slug, oldStatus, newStatus } = action.payload;
       return state.withMutations((map) => {
-        const entry = map.getIn(['entities', `${oldStatus}.${slug}`]);
+        let entry = map.getIn(['entities', `${action.payload.oldStatus}.${action.payload.slug}`]);
+        entry = entry.setIn(['metaData', 'status'], action.payload.newStatus);
 
         let entities = map.get('entities').filter((val, key) => (
-          key !== `${oldStatus}.${slug}`
+          key !== `${action.payload.oldStatus}.${action.payload.slug}`
         ));
-
-        entities = entities.set(`${newStatus}.${slug}`, entry);
+        entities = entities.set(`${action.payload.newStatus}.${action.payload.slug}`, entry);
 
         map.set('entities', entities);
       });
 
+    case UNPUBLISHED_ENTRY_PUBLISH_SUCCESS:
+      return state.deleteIn(['entities', `${action.payload.status}.${action.payload.slug}`]);
+
     default:
       return state;
   }