diff --git a/cmd/gorepomod/internal/git/runner.go b/cmd/gorepomod/internal/git/runner.go
index 5b49f9a5f..dac244d58 100644
--- a/cmd/gorepomod/internal/git/runner.go
+++ b/cmd/gorepomod/internal/git/runner.go
@@ -258,8 +258,7 @@ func (gr *Runner) AssureOnMainBranch() error {
 // CheckoutMainBranch does that.
 func (gr *Runner) CheckoutMainBranch() error {
 	gr.comment("checking out main branch")
-	fullBranchSpec := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", remoteOrigin, mainBranch)
-	return gr.runNoOut(noHarmDone, "checkout", fullBranchSpec)
+	return gr.runNoOut(noHarmDone, "checkout", mainBranch)
 }
 
 // FetchRemote does that.
diff --git a/releasing/helpers.sh b/releasing/helpers.sh
index acec8eedc..4da68f151 100644
--- a/releasing/helpers.sh
+++ b/releasing/helpers.sh
@@ -2,20 +2,12 @@
 # Copyright 2022 The Kubernetes Authors.
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
-ORIGIN_MASTER="feat/5449-add-release-automation"
-UPSTREAM_REPO="upstream"
-UPSTREAM_MASTER="master"
 
 function createBranch {
   branch=$1
   title=$2
   echo "Making branch $branch : \"$title\""
-  # Check if release branch exists
-  if git show-ref --quiet "refs/heads/${branch}"; then
-    git fetch --tags upstream master
-    git checkout $ORIGIN_MASTER
-    git branch -D $branch  # delete if it exists
-  fi
+  git branch -D $branch  # delete if it exists
   git checkout -b $branch
   git commit -a -m "$title"
   git push -f origin $branch