diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
index ccb5d72f2..02aa46487 100755
--- a/release.sh
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ current=$(git describe --abbrev=0 || echo 0.0.0)
 release=$(semver ${current} -i $1 --preid RC)
 next=$(semver ${release} -i minor)
 
+git checkout -b release/${release}
+
 ./mvnw versions:set -D newVersion=${release}
 git commit -am "Release ${release}"
 ./mvnw clean deploy scm:tag -P release -D tag=${release} -D pushChanges=false
@@ -17,3 +19,6 @@ git commit -am "Development ${next}-SNAPSHOT"
 
 git push
 git push --tags
+
+git checkout master
+git branch -D release/${release}