diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 299da91..c79b2e3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ jobs:
   release-on-push:
     if: github.event.pull_request.merged || inputs.version_bump != ''
     runs-on: 'ubuntu-latest'
+    env:
+      TARGET_BRANCH: ${{ github.base_ref || github.ref_name }}
     steps:
       - name: Checkout Code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
@@ -67,7 +69,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Retrieve last tag on branch
         run: |
-          git checkout ${{ github.base_ref }}
+          git checkout "$TARGET_BRANCH"
           echo "TAG_NAME=$(git describe --tags --match "v*.*.*" --abbrev=0 | cut -c 2-)" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
         id: last_tag
 
@@ -101,16 +103,16 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Debug branch name
         run: |
-          echo current branch ${{ github.base_ref }}
+          echo current branch $TARGET_BRANCH
       - name: Exit on bad tag
-        if: ${{ (inputs.version_bump == 'major' || (inputs.version_bump == '' && contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'release:major'))) && !contains(github.base_ref, inputs.main_branch) }}
+        if: ${{ (inputs.version_bump == 'major' || (inputs.version_bump == '' && contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'release:major'))) && !contains(env.TARGET_BRANCH, inputs.main_branch) }}
         run: |
-          echo Can't create a major release on branch ${{ github.base_ref }}
+          echo Can't create a major release on branch $TARGET_BRANCH
           exit 1
       - name: Exit on bad branch
-        if: ${{ !contains(fromJson(inputs.dist_branches), github.base_ref) }}
+        if: ${{ !contains(fromJson(inputs.dist_branches), env.TARGET_BRANCH) }}
         run: |
-          echo Can't create a release on branch ${{ github.base_ref }}
+          echo Can't create a release on branch $TARGET_BRANCH
           exit 1
 
       - name: Prepare release tag env var
@@ -189,7 +191,7 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ !contains(env.RELEASE_VERSION, 'undefined') && (inputs.version_ini_path != '' || inputs.toml_conf_path != '' || inputs.package_json_version == 'true') }}
         with:
           commit_message: "chore: update version"
-          branch: ${{ github.base_ref }}
+          branch: ${{ env.TARGET_BRANCH }}
 
       - name: Create release and tag
         if: ${{ !contains(env.RELEASE_VERSION, 'undefined') }}
@@ -197,7 +199,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: 'Release ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}'
           tag: 'v${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}'
-          commit: ${{ github.base_ref }}
+          commit: ${{ env.TARGET_BRANCH }}
           generateReleaseNotes: true
 
     outputs: