diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index 535b29a0e4..be59d297c6 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -146,12 +146,12 @@ def build_channel(String channel_name) {
   return parallel (
     "${channel_name} (git)": {
       deviceStage("build git", "tici-needs-can", [], [
-        ["build ${channel_name}", "RELEASE_BRANCH=nightly $SOURCE_DIR/release/build_git_channel.sh"],
+        ["build ${channel_name}", "RELEASE=1 OPENPILOT_CHANNEL=${channel_name} $SOURCE_DIR/release/build_git_channel.sh"],
       ])
     },
     "${channel_name} (casync)": {
       deviceStage("build casync", "tici-needs-can", [], [
-        ["build ${channel_name}", "BUILD_DIR=/data/openpilot_build OUTPUT_DIR=/data/casync OPENPILOT_CHANNEL=${channel_name} $SOURCE_DIR/release/build_casync_channel.sh"],
+        ["build ${channel_name}", "RELEASE=1 OPENPILOT_CHANNEL=${channel_name} BUILD_DIR=/data/openpilot_build OUTPUT_DIR=/data/casync $SOURCE_DIR/release/build_casync_channel.sh"],
         //["upload ${channel_name}", "OPENPILOT_CHANNEL=${channel_name} $SOURCE_DIR/release/upload_casync_channel.sh"],
       ])
     }
diff --git a/release/README.md b/release/README.md
index d72f0a5c8d..a3a8f3d5de 100644
--- a/release/README.md
+++ b/release/README.md
@@ -5,16 +5,17 @@
 
 `channel` - a named version of openpilot with only required files for running openpilot and identifying the channel<br>
 `prebuilt` - a channel prebuilt for the tici, no building required on device<br>
-`release` - prebuilt with `ALLOW_DEBUG` false (RELEASE=1 when building panda). (`nightly`, `release3`)<br>
+`release` - prebuilt with `ALLOW_DEBUG` false (`RELEASE=1` when building panda, `nightly`, `release3`)<br>
 
 ## creating casync channel
 
 `build_casync_channel.sh` - creates a `prebuilt` openpilot channel, ready to upload to `openpilot-channels`
 
 ```bash
-# run on a tici, within the directory you want to create the release from
+# 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          \
diff --git a/release/build_git_channel.sh b/release/build_git_channel.sh
index 951a699b7f..2b1dbb6a3a 100755
--- a/release/build_git_channel.sh
+++ b/release/build_git_channel.sh
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ mkdir -p $BUILD_DIR
 cd $BUILD_DIR
 git init
 git remote add origin git@github.com:commaai/openpilot.git
-git checkout --orphan $RELEASE_BRANCH
+git checkout --orphan $OPENPILOT_CHANNEL
 
 # do the files copy
 echo "[-] copying files T=$SECONDS"
 cd $SOURCE_DIR
-release/copy_channel_Files.sh $SOURCE_DIR $BUILD_DIR
+release/copy_channel_files.sh $SOURCE_DIR $BUILD_DIR
 
 cd $BUILD_DIR
 VERSION=$(cat common/version.h | awk -F[\"-]  '{print $2}')
@@ -55,14 +55,14 @@ TEST_FILES="tools/"
 cd $SOURCE_DIR
 cp -pR -n --parents $TEST_FILES $BUILD_DIR/
 cd $BUILD_DIR
-RELEASE=1 selfdrive/test/test_onroad.py
+selfdrive/test/test_onroad.py
 #selfdrive/manager/test/test_manager.py
 #selfdrive/car/tests/test_car_interfaces.py
 rm -rf $TEST_FILES
 
-if [ ! -z "$RELEASE_BRANCH" ]; then
+if [ ! -z "$OPENPILOT_CHANNEL" ]; then
   echo "[-] pushing release T=$SECONDS"
-  git push -f origin $RELEASE_BRANCH:$RELEASE_BRANCH
+  git push -f origin $OPENPILOT_CHANNEL:$OPENPILOT_CHANNEL
 fi
 
 echo "[-] done T=$SECONDS"