diff --git a/release.mk b/release.mk
index 7d2c5300f3f..b0a9c4ee808 100644
--- a/release.mk
+++ b/release.mk
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ CURRENT_RELEASE ?= $(shell gh release list --exclude-drafts --exclude-pre-releas
 RELEASE_BRANCH ?= $(PROJECT_MAJOR_VERSION).$(PROJECT_MINOR_VERSION)
 NEXT_PROJECT_MINOR_VERSION ?= $(PROJECT_MAJOR_VERSION).$(shell expr $(PROJECT_MINOR_VERSION) + 1).0
 NEXT_RELEASE ?= $(RELEASE_BRANCH).$(shell expr $(PROJECT_PATCH_VERSION) + 1)
-BRANCH_PATCH = update-$(NEXT_RELEASE)
+BRANCH_PATCH = bump-to-next-patch-$(NEXT_RELEASE)
 endif
 
 # BASE_BRANCH select by release type (default patch)
@@ -112,12 +112,12 @@ major-release:
 patch-release:
 	@echo "INFO: Create feature branch and update the versions. Target branch $(RELEASE_BRANCH)"
 	$(MAKE) create-branch NAME=$(BRANCH_PATCH) BASE=$(RELEASE_BRANCH)
-	$(MAKE) update-version VERSION=$(RELEASE_VERSION)
+	$(MAKE) update-version VERSION=$(NEXT_RELEASE)
 	$(MAKE) update-version-makefile VERSION=$(PROJECT_MAJOR_VERSION)\.$(PROJECT_MINOR_VERSION)
 	$(MAKE) update-version-legacy VERSION=$(NEXT_RELEASE) PREVIOUS_VERSION=$(CURRENT_RELEASE)
-	$(MAKE) create-commit COMMIT_MESSAGE="$(RELEASE_BRANCH): update versions to $(RELEASE_VERSION)"
+	$(MAKE) create-commit COMMIT_MESSAGE="$(RELEASE_BRANCH): update versions to $(NEXT_RELEASE)"
 	@echo "INFO: Push changes to $(PROJECT_OWNER)/apm-server and create the relevant Pull Requests"
-	$(MAKE) create-pull-request BRANCH=$(BRANCH_PATCH) TARGET_BRANCH=$(RELEASE_BRANCH) TITLE="$(RELEASE_VERSION): update versions" BODY="Merge on request by the Release Manager." BACKPORT_LABEL=backport-skip
+	$(MAKE) create-pull-request BRANCH=$(BRANCH_PATCH) TARGET_BRANCH=$(RELEASE_BRANCH) TITLE="$(NEXT_RELEASE): update versions" BODY="Merge on request by the Release Manager." BACKPORT_LABEL=backport-skip
 
 	@echo "INFO: Create feature branch and update the versions. Target branch $(BASE_BRANCH)"
 	$(MAKE) create-branch NAME=update-$(RELEASE_VERSION) BASE=$(BASE_BRANCH)