diff --git a/eks-distro-base/Makefile b/eks-distro-base/Makefile
index bc3dab8ba..e5657874e 100644
--- a/eks-distro-base/Makefile
+++ b/eks-distro-base/Makefile
@@ -836,8 +836,10 @@ check-golang-release:
 	${MAKE_ROOT}/scripts/check_upstream_golang
 
 .PHONY: create-golang-release-pr
+create-golang-release-pr: IMAGE_UPDATE_BRANCH="golang-image-release"
+create-golang-release-pr: open-pr-check
 create-golang-release-pr:
-	$(MAKE_ROOT)/../pr-scripts/create_pr.sh eks-distro-build-tooling 'EKS_DISTRO*_TAG_FILE*' 'golang-image-release'
+	$(MAKE_ROOT)/../pr-scripts/create_pr.sh eks-distro-build-tooling 'EKS_DISTRO*_TAG_FILE*' $(IMAGE_UPDATE_BRANCH)
 
 
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