Set default target branch in MR for release branches

How to Use GitLab
1

Problem to solve

When using release branches for all current sprint features, and merging them into main branch at release, is there a way to dynamically set target branch of new MRs? Or leave it blank forcing the user to set it.

Steps to reproduce

Create a new release-2025.06 branch from main branch. Create a feature branch from release-2025.06. Push feature branch to release branch, create MR. The target branch is always the main branch.

Versions

  • Self-managed
  • GitLab.com SaaS
  • Dedicated

Versions

  • GitLab: 17.8.6-ee
2

Hi,

You should be able to do this if you have GitLab Premium license.

By default, new MRs always target the default branch, which I suppose is main.

If you’d like the MRs to target a different branch by default, you can set this in Project Settings → Merge Requests → Merge request branch workflow. Just note, this is not a restriction, it’s just to give MR creator a default setting.

Hope this helps!