diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 74e3b9a..1a30006 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ check_title: true
 check_branch: true
 check_commits: true
 ignore_case: true
+require_brackets: true
 ```
 
 ## Local Development
@@ -67,6 +68,8 @@ Run `yarn test` to test:
     ✓ passes if ignore_case and lower case title/branch (6 ms)
     ✓ passes if ignore_case and lower case commits (7 ms)
     ✓ fails if not ignore_case and lower case title/branch (4 ms)
+    ✓ passes if require_brakcets is false and title matches without brackets (5 ms)
+    ✓ fails if require_brackets is true or default and title matches without brackets (4 ms)
 ```
 
 ## Lint
diff --git a/fixtures/no-brackets.yml b/fixtures/no-brackets.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f86face
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fixtures/no-brackets.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+projects: ['PROJ', 'ABC']
+check_title: true
+check_branch: false
+ignore_case: true
+require_brackets: false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 393d069..eb13e39 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const defaults = {
   check_branch: false,
   check_commits: false,
   ignore_case: false,
+  require_brackets: true,
 };
 
 function createProjectRegex(project, ignoreCase = false) {
@@ -28,8 +29,11 @@ function findFailedCommits(projects, commitsInPR, ignoreCase) {
   return failedCommits;
 }
 
-function createWrappedProjectRegex(project) {
-  return new RegExp(`\\[${project}-\\d*\\]`);
+function createWrappedProjectRegex(project, requireBrackets = false) {
+  if (requireBrackets) {
+    return new RegExp(`\\[${project}-\\d*\\]`);
+  }
+  return new RegExp(`${project}[-_]\\d*`);
 }
 
 Toolkit.run(
@@ -59,7 +63,7 @@ Toolkit.run(
     const title_passed = (() => {
       if (config.check_title) {
         // check the title matches [PROJECT-1234] somewhere
-        if (!projects.some((project) => title.match(createWrappedProjectRegex(project)))) {
+        if (!projects.some((project) => title.match(createWrappedProjectRegex(project, config.require_brackets)))) {
           tools.log(`PR title ${title} does not contain approved project with format [PROJECT-1234]`);
           return false;
         }
diff --git a/index.test.js b/index.test.js
index ada26c0..74d879c 100644
--- a/index.test.js
+++ b/index.test.js
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ describe('pr-lint-action', () => {
   const good_title_and_bad_branch = { title: '[PROJ-1234] a good PR title', ref_name: 'fix_things' };
   const bad_title_and_good_branch = { title: 'no ticket in me', ref_name: 'bug/PROJ_1234/a_good_branch' };
   const lower_case_good_title_and_branch = { title: '[proj-1234] a lower case good title', ref_name: 'bug/proj_1234/a_good_lowercase_branch' };
+  const no_brackets_title_and_branch = { title: 'PROJ-1234 a good no brackets PR title', ref_name: 'bug/PROJ-1234/a_good_branch' };
+
   const good_commits = [
     { commit: { message: 'PROJ-1234 Commit 1' } },
     { commit: { message: 'PROJ-1234 Commit 2' } },
@@ -339,4 +341,30 @@ describe('pr-lint-action', () => {
     expect(tools.exit.failure).toHaveBeenCalledWith('PR Linting Failed');
     expect.assertions(1);
   });
+
+  it('passes if require_brackets is false and title matches without brackets', async () => {
+    nock('https://api.github.com')
+      .get(/\/repos\/vijaykramesh\/.*/)
+      .query(true)
+      .reply(200, configFixture('no-brackets.yml'));
+
+    tools.context.payload = pullRequestOpenedFixture(no_brackets_title_and_branch);
+
+    await action(tools);
+    expect(tools.exit.success).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect.assertions(1);
+  });
+
+  it('fails if require_brackets is true or default and title matches without brackets', async () => {
+    nock('https://api.github.com')
+      .get(/\/repos\/vijaykramesh\/.*/)
+      .query(true)
+      .reply(200, configFixture('title.yml'));
+
+    tools.context.payload = pullRequestOpenedFixture(no_brackets_title_and_branch);
+
+    await action(tools);
+    expect(tools.exit.failure).toHaveBeenCalledWith('PR Linting Failed');
+    expect.assertions(1);
+  });
 });