diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-start.yml b/.github/workflows/release-start.yml
index 15c9a11057..d68fbc01e2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-start.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-start.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ jobs:
     env:
       RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ inputs.release_version_name }}
       RELEASE_BRANCH: 'release/${{ inputs.release_version_name }}'
+      TEMP_RELEASE_BRANCH: 'tmp_release/${{ inputs.release_version_name }}'
 
     steps:
     - name: Check out code
@@ -41,9 +42,8 @@ jobs:
       # override vName with new version
     - name: Create release branch
       run: |
-        git config --list
-        git checkout -b ${{ env.RELEASE_BRANCH }}
-        git push origin ${{ env.RELEASE_BRANCH }}
+        git checkout -b ${{ env.TEMP_RELEASE_BRANCH }}
+        git push origin ${{ env.TEMP_RELEASE_BRANCH }}
 
     - name: Run Python script to update release branch version
       run: python scripts/updateVersionName.py ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
@@ -52,9 +52,15 @@ jobs:
       uses: flex-development/gh-commit@1.0.0
       with:
         message: 'Update version to ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}'
-        ref: ${{ env.RELEASE_BRANCH }}
+        ref: ${{ env.TEMP_RELEASE_BRANCH }}
         token: ${{ secrets.DHIS2_BOT_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
+    - name: Change to release branch
+      run: |
+        git checkout -b ${{ env.RELEASE_BRANCH }}
+        git push origin ${{ env.RELEASE_BRANCH }}
+        git push origin --delete ${{ env.TEMP_RELEASE_BRANCH }}
+
   update_version:
     if: false
     # The type of runner that the job will run on