diff --git a/roles/build-releasenotes/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/build-releasenotes/tasks/main.yaml
index 8505e09d..d2f139a5 100644
--- a/roles/build-releasenotes/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/build-releasenotes/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+# reno always runs on master, even if there was a commit from another branch
+- name: Switch to master branch
+  command: git checkout master
+  args:
+    chdir: '{{ zuul_work_dir }}'
+
 # TODO(mordred) Put the translations logic into a sphinx plugin?
 - name: Check if translations exist for release notes
   stat: