diff --git a/doc/release_notes.rst b/doc/release_notes.rst
index ddaf257e7..9e079380b 100644
--- a/doc/release_notes.rst
+++ b/doc/release_notes.rst
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ E.g. if a new rule becomes available describe how to use it `snakemake -j1 run_t
 
 **Minor Changes and bug-fixing**
 
+* Minor bug-fixing for GADM_ID format naming. `PR #980 <https://github.com/pypsa-meets-earth/pypsa-earth/pull/980>`__ and `PR #986 <https://github.com/pypsa-meets-earth/pypsa-earth/pull/986>`__
+
 
 * Keep data on the original voltage value when rebasing voltages to the standard values and adjust the transmission capacity accordingly. `PR #898 <https://github.com/pypsa-meets-earth/pypsa-earth/pull/978>`__
 
diff --git a/scripts/build_shapes.py b/scripts/build_shapes.py
index 5fbf76eb0..08c5f9644 100644
--- a/scripts/build_shapes.py
+++ b/scripts/build_shapes.py
@@ -1297,7 +1297,10 @@ def gadm(
 
     # renaming 3 letter to 2 letter ISO code before saving GADM file
     # In the case of a contested territory in the form 'Z00.00_0', save 'AA.00_0'
-    df_gadm["GADM_ID"] = df_gadm["country"] + df_gadm["GADM_ID"].str[3:]
+    # Include bugfix for the case of 'XXX00_0' where the "." is missing, such as for Ghana
+    df_gadm["GADM_ID"] = df_gadm["country"] + df_gadm["GADM_ID"].str[3:].apply(
+        lambda x: x if x[0] == "." else "." + x
+    )
     df_gadm.set_index("GADM_ID", inplace=True)
     df_gadm["geometry"] = df_gadm["geometry"].map(_simplify_polys)
     df_gadm.geometry = df_gadm.geometry.apply(