diff --git a/initializer-backend/src/main/java/com/schbrain/archetype/initializer/maven/MavenUtils.java b/initializer-backend/src/main/java/com/schbrain/archetype/initializer/maven/MavenUtils.java
index 41414eee10d75b79751a7d92a6d8e783bde4fec8..7e50bd81ee5fb24d34ddaf287e1e301bad04ff88 100644
--- a/initializer-backend/src/main/java/com/schbrain/archetype/initializer/maven/MavenUtils.java
+++ b/initializer-backend/src/main/java/com/schbrain/archetype/initializer/maven/MavenUtils.java
@@ -65,9 +65,11 @@ public class MavenUtils {
 
     private static void initGitRepo(Path directory) {
         try {
-            Git git = Git.init().setDirectory(directory.toFile()).call();
+            Git git = Git.init().setInitialBranch("master").setDirectory(directory.toFile()).call();
             git.add().addFilepattern(".").call();
             git.commit().setAllowEmpty(true).setAuthor("initializer", "no-reply@schbrain.com").setMessage("Initial Commit").call();
+            git.checkout().setCreateBranch(true).setName("release").call();
+            git.checkout().setCreateBranch(true).setName("develop").call();
             git.close();
         } catch (GitAPIException e) {
             log.warn("Git repo init failed", e);