diff --git a/scripts/download_mmctl_release.sh b/scripts/download_mmctl_release.sh
index 7336b72d7b..53bd92a4c5 100755
--- a/scripts/download_mmctl_release.sh
+++ b/scripts/download_mmctl_release.sh
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ BIN_PATH=${2:-bin}
 THIS_BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
 if [[ "$THIS_BRANCH" =~ 'release-'[0-9] ]];
 then
-  RELEASE_TO_DOWNLOAD="$THIS_BRANCH"
+  # prefix to remove for lock release branches
+  PREFIX_REMOVE="lock-"
+  RELEASE_TO_DOWNLOAD=${THIS_BRANCH#"$PREFIX_REMOVE"}
 else
   RELEASE_TO_DOWNLOAD=master
 fi