diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index d3ec4c1e765..a06ca426642 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -62,7 +62,14 @@ main() {
       BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
   else
       REPOSITORY=${REPOSITORY:-"git@github.com:etcd-io/etcd.git"}
-      BRANCH=${BRANCH:-"release-${MINOR_VERSION}"}
+      if [ "${MINOR_VERSION}" == "3.6" ]; then
+        BRANCH=main
+        log_warning ""
+        log_warning "Building a v${MINOR_VERSION} pre-release based on the main branch."
+        log_warning ""
+      else
+        BRANCH=${BRANCH:-"release-${MINOR_VERSION}"}
+      fi
   fi
 
   log_warning "DRY_RUN=${DRY_RUN}"