diff --git a/make-release.sh b/make-release.sh
index 70d87e3936..0de2a4db17 100755
--- a/make-release.sh
+++ b/make-release.sh
@@ -456,6 +456,14 @@ setupGitconfig
 evaluateCheVariables
 
 checkoutProjects
+
+if [[ "${BUMP_NEXT_VERSION}" = "true" ]]; then
+    bumpVersions
+    updateImageTagsInCheServer
+    # checkout back to branches to make release from
+    checkoutProjects
+fi
+
 if [[ "${REBUILD_FROM_EXISTING_TAGS}" = "true" ]]; then
     echo "[INFO] Checking out from existing ${CHE_VERSION} tag"
     checkoutTags
@@ -471,8 +479,3 @@ if [[ "${BUILD_AND_PUSH_IMAGES}" = "true" ]]; then
     tagLatestImages ${CHE_VERSION}
     pushImagesOnQuay ${CHE_VERSION} pushLatest
 fi
-
-if [[ "${BUMP_NEXT_VERSION}" = "true" ]]; then
-    bumpVersions
-    updateImageTagsInCheServer
-fi