diff --git a/tools/release/common_includes.py b/tools/release/common_includes.py
index ee8c0f7266..1fb1ded263 100644
--- a/tools/release/common_includes.py
+++ b/tools/release/common_includes.py
@@ -331,9 +331,19 @@ class GitInterface(VCInterface):
     return "origin/candidates"
 
   def RemoteBranch(self, name):
+    # Assume that if someone "fully qualified" the ref, they know what they
+    # want.
+    if name.startswith('refs/'):
+      return name
     if name in ["candidates", "master"]:
-      return "origin/%s" % name
-    return "branch-heads/%s" % name
+      return "refs/remotes/origin/%s" % name
+    # Check if branch is in heads.
+    if self.Git("show-ref refs/remotes/origin/%s" % name).strip():
+      return "refs/remotes/origin/%s" % name
+    # Check if branch is in branch-heads.
+    if self.Git("show-ref refs/remotes/branch-heads/%s" % name).strip():
+      return "refs/remotes/branch-heads/%s" % name
+    self.Die("Can't find remote of %s" % name)
 
   def Tag(self, tag, remote, message):
     # Wait for the commit to appear. Assumes unique commit message titles (this
diff --git a/tools/release/test_scripts.py b/tools/release/test_scripts.py
index 58d1911a80..524ed25a91 100644
--- a/tools/release/test_scripts.py
+++ b/tools/release/test_scripts.py
@@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@ LOG=N
       Cmd("git status -s -b -uno", "## some_branch\n"),
       Cmd("git fetch", ""),
       Cmd("git branch", "  branch1\n* branch2\n"),
-      Cmd("git new-branch %s --upstream origin/candidates" %
+      Cmd("git new-branch %s --upstream refs/remotes/origin/candidates" %
           TEST_CONFIG["BRANCHNAME"], ""),
       Cmd(("git log --format=%H --grep=\"Port ab12345\" "
            "--reverse origin/master"),
@@ -1253,12 +1253,12 @@ LOG=N
       Cmd("git fetch", ""),
       Cmd("git log -1 --format=%H --grep=\""
           "Version 3.22.5.1 (cherry-pick)"
-          "\" origin/candidates",
+          "\" refs/remotes/origin/candidates",
           ""),
       Cmd("git fetch", ""),
       Cmd("git log -1 --format=%H --grep=\""
           "Version 3.22.5.1 (cherry-pick)"
-          "\" origin/candidates",
+          "\" refs/remotes/origin/candidates",
           "hsh_to_tag"),
       Cmd("git tag 3.22.5.1 hsh_to_tag", ""),
       Cmd("git push origin 3.22.5.1", ""),