diff --git a/git-flow-release b/git-flow-release
index 08f595b2..ba78d09a 100644
--- a/git-flow-release
+++ b/git-flow-release
@@ -153,6 +153,10 @@ cmd_start() {
 	DEFINE_boolean fetch false "fetch from $ORIGIN before performing finish" F
 	parse_args "$@"
 	BASE=${2:-$DEVELOP_BRANCH}
+	# Run filter on the version
+	VERSION=`run_filter_hook release-start-version $VERSION`
+	# As VERSION might have changed reset BRANCH with new VERSION
+	BRANCH=$PREFIX$VERSION
 	require_version_arg
 	require_base_is_on_develop
 	require_no_existing_release_branches
diff --git a/hooks/filter-flow-release-start-version b/hooks/filter-flow-release-start-version
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..df6ddc79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hooks/filter-flow-release-start-version
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# Runs during git flow release start
+#
+# Positional arguments:
+# $1    Version
+#
+VERSION=$1
+
+# Implement your script here.
+
+# Return the VERSION
+echo ${VERSION}
+exit 0