diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 97f96ffc8..fa5dafdb2 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ amd64:
   script: &release
     - mix deps.get --only prod
     - mkdir release
+    - PLEROMA_BUILD_BRANCH=$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME
     - mix release --path release
 
 
diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index 781560a0a..ac25b7266 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ defp version(version) do
 
     branch_name =
       with {branch_name, 0} <- System.cmd("git", ["rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD"]),
+           branch_name <- System.get_env("PLEROMA_BUILD_BRANCH") || branch_name,
            true <- branch_name != "master" do
         branch_name =
           String.trim(branch_name)