diff --git a/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-458/verify.groovy b/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-458/verify.groovy
index 010e552f..9eb79ca0 100644
--- a/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-458/verify.groovy
+++ b/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-458/verify.groovy
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@
  * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
  * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
  * with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
- * 
+ *
  *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- * 
+ *
  * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
  * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
  * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
@@ -17,12 +17,15 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
+File buildLog = new File( basedir, 'build.log' )
+assert buildLog.exists()
+
+assert buildLog.getText().contains("[INFO] Full run would be commit 1 files with message: '[maven-release-plugin] prepare branch test-1.0.x'")
+
 try
-{   
-    File buildLog = new File( basedir, "build.log" );
-    
+{
     System.out.println( "Checking logs..." );
-    
+
     StringBuffer data = new StringBuffer( 1024 );
     BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader( new FileReader( buildLog ) );
     char[] buf = new char[1024];
@@ -37,13 +40,13 @@ try
     String contents = data.toString();
 
     String one_expected = "Checking in modified POMs";
-    
+
     int pos = contents.indexOf( one_expected );
-    
+
     if( contents.indexOf( one_expected, pos ) == -1 )
     {
         return true;
-    }            
+    }
 }
 catch( Throwable t )
 {
diff --git a/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-694/verify.groovy b/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-694/verify.groovy
index 663166f1..3514168c 100644
--- a/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-694/verify.groovy
+++ b/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-694/verify.groovy
@@ -20,10 +20,15 @@
 
 import groovy.xml.XmlSlurper
 
+File buildLog = new File( basedir, 'build.log' )
+assert buildLog.exists()
+
+assert buildLog.getText().contains("[INFO] Full run would be commit 1 files with message: '[maven-release-plugin] prepare branch RELEASE-2.6.0'")
+
 def projectBranch = new XmlSlurper().parse( new File( basedir, "pom.xml.branch" ) )
 assert projectBranch.version.text() == "2.6.0-BRANCH-SNAPSHOT"
 
 def projectNext = new XmlSlurper().parse( new File( basedir, "pom.xml.next" ) )
 assert projectNext.version.text() == "2.6.1-DEV-SNAPSHOT"
 
-return true
\ No newline at end of file
+return true
diff --git a/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-976/verify.groovy b/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-976/verify.groovy
index b7de67c3..93aaa822 100644
--- a/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-976/verify.groovy
+++ b/maven-release-plugin/src/it/projects/branch/MRELEASE-976/verify.groovy
@@ -27,4 +27,9 @@ assert project.version.text() == "1.0-SNAPSHOT"
 def projectNext = new XmlSlurper().parse( new File( basedir, "pom.xml.next" ) )
 assert projectNext.version.text() == "1.0-SNAPSHOT"
 
+File buildLog = new File( basedir, 'build.log' )
+assert buildLog.exists()
+
+assert buildLog.getText().contains("[INFO] Full run would be commit 1 files with message: '[maven-release-plugin] prepare branch branch-mrelease-976'")
+
 return true
diff --git a/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/release/BranchReleaseMojo.java b/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/release/BranchReleaseMojo.java
index db314c4b..f0eb8cc4 100644
--- a/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/release/BranchReleaseMojo.java
+++ b/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/release/BranchReleaseMojo.java
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ public class BranchReleaseMojo extends AbstractScmReleaseMojo {
 
     /**
      * The SCM commit comment when branching.
-     * Defaults to "@{prefix} prepare branch @{releaseLabel}".
+     * Defaults to "@{prefix} prepare branch @{branchName}".
      * <p>
      * Property interpolation is performed on the value, but in order to ensure that the interpolation occurs
      * during release, you must use <code>@{...}</code> to reference the properties rather than <code>${...}</code>.
@@ -227,13 +227,13 @@ public class BranchReleaseMojo extends AbstractScmReleaseMojo {
      *     <li><code>prefix</code> - The comment prefix.
      *     <li><code>groupId</code> - The groupId of the root project.
      *     <li><code>artifactId</code> - The artifactId of the root project.
-     *     <li><code>releaseLabel</code> - The release version of the root project.
+     *     <li><code>branchName</code> - The branch name of the root project.
      * </ul>
      *
      * @since 3.0.0-M1
      */
-    @Parameter(defaultValue = "@{prefix} prepare branch @{releaseLabel}", property = "scmBranchCommitComment")
-    private String scmBranchCommitComment = "@{prefix} prepare branch @{releaseLabel}";
+    @Parameter(defaultValue = "@{prefix} prepare branch @{branchName}", property = "scmBranchCommitComment")
+    private String scmBranchCommitComment = "@{prefix} prepare branch @{branchName}";
 
     /**
      * Currently only implemented with svn scm. Enable the {@code --pin-externals} option in