diff --git a/release/README.md b/release/README.md
index a3a8f3d5de..2a73d7ee6f 100644
--- a/release/README.md
+++ b/release/README.md
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 # run on a tici, within the directory you want to create the channel from
 # creates a prebuilt version of openpilot into BUILD_DIR and outputs the caidx
 # and other casync files into CASYNC_DIR for uploading to openpilot-channels
-RELEASE=1                          \
 BUILD_DIR=/data/openpilot_build    \
 CASYNC_DIR=/data/casync            \
 OPENPILOT_CHANNEL=nightly          \
@@ -23,3 +22,7 @@ release/build_casync_channel.sh
 ```
 
 `upload_casync_channel.sh` - helper for uploading a casync channel to `openpilot-channels`
+
+## release channel
+
+to create a release channel, set `RELEASE=1` environment variable
diff --git a/release/create_prebuilt.sh b/release/create_prebuilt.sh
index 11c43589c3..6d3768c536 100755
--- a/release/create_prebuilt.sh
+++ b/release/create_prebuilt.sh
@@ -11,9 +11,10 @@ cd $BUILD_DIR
 # Build
 export PYTHONPATH="$BUILD_DIR"
 
+rm -f panda/board/obj/panda.bin.signed
+rm -f panda/board/obj/panda_h7.bin.signed
+
 if [ -n "$RELEASE" ]; then
-  rm -f panda/board/obj/panda.bin.signed
-  rm -f panda/board/obj/panda_h7.bin.signed
   export CERT=/data/pandaextra/certs/release
 fi