diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 0cb0d4d2..53830ad0 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 ## Why
 
 - [Interactive UI](#interactive-ui)
-- Ensures you are publishing from the `master` branch
+- Ensures you are publishing from your release branch (`master` by default)
 - Ensures the working directory is clean and that there are no unpulled changes
 - Reinstalls dependencies to ensure your project works with the latest dependency tree
 - Ensures your Node.js and npm versions are supported by the project and its dependencies
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ $ np --help
 
   Options
     --any-branch        Allow publishing from any branch
+    --branch            Name of the release branch (default: `master`)
     --no-cleanup        Skips cleanup of node_modules
     --no-tests          Skips tests
     --yolo              Skips cleanup and testing
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ Run `np` without arguments to launch the interactive UI that guides you through
 Currently, these are the flags you can configure:
 
 - `anyBranch` - Allow publishing from any branch (`false` by default).
+- `branch` - Name of the release branch (`master` by default).
 - `cleanup` - Cleanup `node_modules` (`true` by default).
 - `tests` - Run `npm test` (`true` by default).
 - `yolo` - Skip cleanup and testing (`false` by default).
@@ -95,6 +97,7 @@ Currently, these are the flags you can configure:
 For example, this configures `np` to never use Yarn and to use `dist` as the subdirectory to publish:
 
 `package.json`
+
 ```json
 {
 	"name": "superb-package",
@@ -106,6 +109,7 @@ For example, this configures `np` to never use Yarn and to use `dist` as the sub
 ```
 
 `.np-config.json`
+
 ```json
 {
 	"yarn": false,
@@ -114,10 +118,11 @@ For example, this configures `np` to never use Yarn and to use `dist` as the sub
 ```
 
 `.np-config.js`
+
 ```js
 module.exports = {
 	yarn: false,
-	contents: 'dist'
+	contents: "dist"
 };
 ```
 
diff --git a/source/cli.js b/source/cli.js
index 5ebb2f3b..f2939ce2 100755
--- a/source/cli.js
+++ b/source/cli.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const cli = meow(`
 
 	Options
 	  --any-branch        Allow publishing from any branch
+	  --branch            Name of the release branch (default: master)
 	  --no-cleanup        Skips cleanup of node_modules
 	  --no-tests          Skips tests
 	  --yolo              Skips cleanup and testing
@@ -44,6 +45,9 @@ const cli = meow(`
 		anyBranch: {
 			type: 'boolean'
 		},
+		branch: {
+			type: 'string',
+		},
 		cleanup: {
 			type: 'boolean'
 		},
diff --git a/source/git-tasks.js b/source/git-tasks.js
index 7397c36c..8f7376f6 100644
--- a/source/git-tasks.js
+++ b/source/git-tasks.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ module.exports = options => {
 	const tasks = [
 		{
 			title: 'Check current branch',
-			task: () => git.verifyCurrentBranchIsMaster()
+			task: () => git.verifyCurrentBranchIsReleaseBranch(options.branch)
 		},
 		{
 			title: 'Check local working tree',
diff --git a/source/git-util.js b/source/git-util.js
index e59b0570..c5118845 100644
--- a/source/git-util.js
+++ b/source/git-util.js
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ exports.currentBranch = async () => {
 	return stdout;
 };
 
-exports.verifyCurrentBranchIsMaster = async () => {
-	if (await exports.currentBranch() !== 'master') {
-		throw new Error('Not on `master` branch. Use --any-branch to publish anyway.');
+exports.verifyCurrentBranchIsReleaseBranch = async (releaseBranch = 'master') => {
+	if (await exports.currentBranch() !== releaseBranch) {
+		throw new Error(`Not on \`${releaseBranch}\` branch. Use --any-branch to publish anyway, or set a different release branch using --branch.`);
 	}
 };
 
diff --git a/test/git-tasks.js b/test/git-tasks.js
index 0598262c..6153af35 100644
--- a/test/git-tasks.js
+++ b/test/git-tasks.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ test.beforeEach(() => {
 	execaStub.resetStub();
 });
 
-test.serial('should fail when current branch not master and publishing from any branch not permitted', async t => {
+test.serial('should fail when current branch is not the specified release branch and publishing from any branch not permitted', async t => {
 	execaStub.createStub([
 		{
 			command: 'git symbolic-ref --short HEAD',
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ test.serial('should fail when current branch not master and publishing from any
 			stdout: 'feature'
 		}
 	]);
-	await t.throwsAsync(run(testedModule({})),
-		{message: 'Not on `master` branch. Use --any-branch to publish anyway.'});
+	await t.throwsAsync(run(testedModule({branch: 'main'})),
+		{message: 'Not on `main` branch. Use --any-branch to publish anyway, or set a different release branch using --branch.'});
 	t.true(SilentRenderer.tasks.some(task => task.title === 'Check current branch' && task.hasFailed()));
 });