diff --git a/.github/workflows/warp_release.yml b/.github/workflows/warp_release.yml
index 495c047f7b..37d1c0e3b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/warp_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/warp_release.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 # This action releases from develop/master for all changed pipelines
 name: WARP Release
 
@@ -40,16 +39,20 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         source scripts/common.sh
         set -e
-        if [[ "${GIT_BRANCH}" == "develop" ]]; then
+        BRANCH_NAME=$(echo "${GITHUB_REF#refs/heads/}")
+        if [[ "${BRANCH_NAME}" == "develop" ]]; then
             ENV=dev
-        elif [[ "${GIT_BRANCH}" == "master" ]]; then
+        elif [[ "${BRANCH_NAME}" == "master" ]]; then
             ENV=prod
+        else
+            echo "Error: Branch ${BRANCH_NAME} is not a valid release branch."
+            exit 1
         fi
         echo $ENV
         echo "Getting all changed pipelines since last commit before releasing from develop"
         previous_commit_hash=$(git rev-parse HEAD^1)
         changed_pipelines=$(get_modified_pipelines ${previous_commit_hash})
-        echo branch: ${GIT_BRANCH} previous_commit_hash: ${previous_commit_hash} env: ${ENV}
+        echo branch: ${BRANCH_NAME} previous_commit_hash: ${previous_commit_hash} env: ${ENV}
         if [[ -n ${ENV} ]]; then
             if [[ -n ${changed_pipelines[@]} ]]; then
                 for pipeline in ${changed_pipelines[@]}; do
@@ -62,6 +65,4 @@ jobs:
             echo "Releases are only made on merge to develop and master" 
         fi
       env:
-        GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-      
-      
+        GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
\ No newline at end of file