diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/47440-recognize-unlicense-license-file.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/47440-recognize-unlicense-license-file.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3521dd613b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/47440-recognize-unlicense-license-file.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Recognize 'UNLICENSE' license files
+merge_request: 21508
+author: J.D. Bean
+type: added
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/file_detector.rb b/lib/gitlab/file_detector.rb
index 49bc9c0b671..8f55e94975c 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/file_detector.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/file_detector.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ module Gitlab
       # Project files
       readme: %r{\Areadme[^/]*\z}i,
       changelog: %r{\A(changelog|history|changes|news)[^/]*\z}i,
-      license: %r{\A(licen[sc]e|copying)(\.[^/]+)?\z}i,
+      license: %r{\A((un)?licen[sc]e|copying)(\.[^/]+)?\z}i,
       contributing: %r{\Acontributing[^/]*\z}i,
       version: 'version',
       avatar: /\Alogo\.(png|jpg|gif)\z/,
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/file_detector_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/file_detector_spec.rb
index 8e524f9b05a..9e351368b22 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/file_detector_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/file_detector_spec.rb
@@ -29,11 +29,15 @@ describe Gitlab::FileDetector do
     end
 
     it 'returns the type of a license file' do
-      %w(LICENSE LICENCE COPYING).each do |file|
+      %w(LICENSE LICENCE COPYING UNLICENSE UNLICENCE).each do |file|
         expect(described_class.type_of(file)).to eq(:license)
       end
     end
 
+    it 'returns nil for an UNCOPYING file' do
+      expect(described_class.type_of('UNCOPYING')).to be_nil
+    end
+
     it 'returns the type of a version file' do
       expect(described_class.type_of('VERSION')).to eq(:version)
     end