diff --git a/cli/js/deno.ts b/cli/js/deno.ts
index c1b074f3d52e0f..887f60826022cd 100644
--- a/cli/js/deno.ts
+++ b/cli/js/deno.ts
@@ -85,7 +85,16 @@ export {
   ShutdownMode,
   shutdown
 } from "./net.ts";
-export { dir, env, exit, isTTY, execPath, hostname, loadavg } from "./os.ts";
+export {
+  dir,
+  env,
+  exit,
+  isTTY,
+  execPath,
+  hostname,
+  loadavg,
+  osRelease
+} from "./os.ts";
 export {
   permissions,
   PermissionName,
diff --git a/cli/js/dispatch.ts b/cli/js/dispatch.ts
index 93f6dc0552eec2..fc1c69a62d0e0b 100644
--- a/cli/js/dispatch.ts
+++ b/cli/js/dispatch.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ export let OP_SIGNAL_BIND: number;
 export let OP_SIGNAL_UNBIND: number;
 export let OP_SIGNAL_POLL: number;
 export let OP_LOADAVG: number;
+export let OP_OS_RELEASE: number;
 
 const PLUGIN_ASYNC_HANDLER_MAP: Map<number, AsyncHandler> = new Map();
 
diff --git a/cli/js/lib.deno.ns.d.ts b/cli/js/lib.deno.ns.d.ts
index d1770a15a766dd..0c94308691111f 100644
--- a/cli/js/lib.deno.ns.d.ts
+++ b/cli/js/lib.deno.ns.d.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ declare namespace Deno {
    */
   export function hostname(): string;
 
+  /** Get the OS release. Requires the `--allow-env` flag.
+   *
+   *       console.log(Deno.osRelease());
+   */
+  export function osRelease(): string;
+
   /** Exit the Deno process with optional exit code. */
   export function exit(code?: number): never;
 
diff --git a/cli/js/os.ts b/cli/js/os.ts
index d3c0d1b7243945..7953c2cef7fa17 100644
--- a/cli/js/os.ts
+++ b/cli/js/os.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,15 @@ export function hostname(): string {
   return sendSync(dispatch.OP_HOSTNAME);
 }
 
+/** Get OS release.
+ * Requires the `--allow-env` flag.
+ *
+ *       console.log(Deno.osRelease());
+ */
+export function osRelease(): string {
+  return sendSync(dispatch.OP_OS_RELEASE);
+}
+
 /** Exit the Deno process with optional exit code. */
 export function exit(code = 0): never {
   sendSync(dispatch.OP_EXIT, { code });
diff --git a/cli/js/os_test.ts b/cli/js/os_test.ts
index 325cbdaa6d5e48..905a4efaf51853 100644
--- a/cli/js/os_test.ts
+++ b/cli/js/os_test.ts
@@ -315,3 +315,19 @@ testPerm({ env: false }, function hostnamePerm(): void {
   }
   assert(caughtError);
 });
+
+testPerm({ env: true }, function releaseDir(): void {
+  assertNotEquals(Deno.osRelease(), "");
+});
+
+testPerm({ env: false }, function releasePerm(): void {
+  let caughtError = false;
+  try {
+    Deno.osRelease();
+  } catch (err) {
+    caughtError = true;
+    assert(err instanceof Deno.Err.PermissionDenied);
+    assertEquals(err.name, "PermissionDenied");
+  }
+  assert(caughtError);
+});
diff --git a/cli/ops/os.rs b/cli/ops/os.rs
index 10c5e247e07047..8e4f1e95db7721 100644
--- a/cli/ops/os.rs
+++ b/cli/ops/os.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ pub fn init(i: &mut Isolate, s: &State) {
   i.register_op("get_dir", s.core_op(json_op(s.stateful_op(op_get_dir))));
   i.register_op("hostname", s.core_op(json_op(s.stateful_op(op_hostname))));
   i.register_op("loadavg", s.core_op(json_op(s.stateful_op(op_loadavg))));
+  i.register_op(
+    "os_release",
+    s.core_op(json_op(s.stateful_op(op_os_release))),
+  );
 }
 
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
@@ -185,6 +189,16 @@ fn op_hostname(
   _zero_copy: Option<ZeroCopyBuf>,
 ) -> Result<JsonOp, OpError> {
   state.check_env()?;
-  let hostname = sys_info::hostname().unwrap_or_else(|_| "".to_owned());
+  let hostname = sys_info::hostname().unwrap_or_else(|_| "".to_string());
   Ok(JsonOp::Sync(json!(hostname)))
 }
+
+fn op_os_release(
+  state: &State,
+  _args: Value,
+  _zero_copy: Option<ZeroCopyBuf>,
+) -> Result<JsonOp, OpError> {
+  state.check_env()?;
+  let release = sys_info::os_release().unwrap_or_else(|_| "".to_string());
+  Ok(JsonOp::Sync(json!(release)))
+}
diff --git a/std/node/os.ts b/std/node/os.ts
index 39209b4b74c063..f34551da9c2e03 100644
--- a/std/node/os.ts
+++ b/std/node/os.ts
@@ -161,9 +161,9 @@ export function platform(): string {
   return process.platform;
 }
 
-/** Not yet implemented */
+/** Returns the operating system as a string */
 export function release(): string {
-  notImplemented(SEE_GITHUB_ISSUE);
+  return Deno.osRelease();
 }
 
 /** Not yet implemented */
diff --git a/std/node/os_test.ts b/std/node/os_test.ts
index 2ceff79a4eb992..6ef123575f0b44 100644
--- a/std/node/os_test.ts
+++ b/std/node/os_test.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,13 @@ test({
   }
 });
 
+test({
+  name: "release is a string",
+  fn() {
+    assertEquals(typeof os.release(), "string");
+  }
+});
+
 test({
   name: "getPriority(): PID must be a 32 bit integer",
   fn() {
@@ -216,13 +223,6 @@ test({
       Error,
       "Not implemented"
     );
-    assertThrows(
-      () => {
-        os.release();
-      },
-      Error,
-      "Not implemented"
-    );
     assertThrows(
       () => {
         os.setPriority(0);