diff --git a/script/lib/update-dependency/fetch-outdated-dependencies.js b/script/lib/update-dependency/fetch-outdated-dependencies.js
index 7678784f712..54cddd922c0 100644
--- a/script/lib/update-dependency/fetch-outdated-dependencies.js
+++ b/script/lib/update-dependency/fetch-outdated-dependencies.js
@@ -44,13 +44,14 @@ const apm = async function({ dependencies, packageDependencies }) {
 
 const npm = async function(cwd) {
   try {
-    console.log('Checking npm registry...');
+    console.log('Checking npm registry...', cwd);
 
     const currentState = await npmCheck({
       cwd,
       ignoreDev: true,
       skipUnused: true
     });
+
     const outdatedPackages = currentState
       .get('packages')
       .filter(p => {
diff --git a/script/lib/update-dependency/git.js b/script/lib/update-dependency/git.js
index bfcf9b1e22a..53bfe41e463 100644
--- a/script/lib/update-dependency/git.js
+++ b/script/lib/update-dependency/git.js
@@ -17,24 +17,32 @@ const git = (git, repositoryRootPath) => {
   } catch (ex) {
     console.log(ex.message);
   }
+
+  async function createOrCheckoutBranch(newBranch) {
+    const { branches } = await git.branch();
+    const found = Object.keys(branches).find(
+      branch => branch.indexOf(newBranch) > -1
+    );
+    found
+      ? await git.checkout(found)
+      : await git.checkoutLocalBranch(newBranch);
+
+    return { found, newBranch };
+  }
+
   return {
-    switchToMaster: async function() {
-      await git.checkout('origin/master');
+    switchToCleanBranch: async function() {
+      const cleanBranch = 'clean-branch';
+      const { current } = await git.branch();
+      if (current !== cleanBranch) createOrCheckoutBranch(cleanBranch);
     },
     makeBranch: async function(dependency) {
       const newBranch = `${dependency.moduleName}-${dependency.latest}`;
-      const { branches } = await git.branch();
       const { files } = await git.status();
       if (files.length > 0) {
         await git.reset('hard');
       }
-      const found = Object.keys(branches).find(
-        branch => branch.indexOf(newBranch) > -1
-      );
-      found
-        ? await git.checkout(found)
-        : await git.checkoutLocalBranch(newBranch);
-      return { found, newBranch };
+      return createOrCheckoutBranch(newBranch);
     },
     createCommit: async function({ moduleName, latest }) {
       try {
diff --git a/script/lib/update-dependency/main.js b/script/lib/update-dependency/main.js
index 733108203fc..bd6781c10bc 100644
--- a/script/lib/update-dependency/main.js
+++ b/script/lib/update-dependency/main.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const runApmInstall = require('../run-apm-install');
 const {
   makeBranch,
   createCommit,
-  switchToMaster,
+  switchToCleanBranch,
   publishBranch,
   deleteBranch
 } = require('./git')(git, repositoryRootPath);
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const fetchOutdatedDependencies = require('./fetch-outdated-dependencies');
 module.exports = async function() {
   try {
     // ensure we are on master
-    await switchToMaster();
+    await switchToCleanBranch();
     const failedBumps = [];
     const successfullBumps = [];
     const outdateDependencies = [
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ module.exports = async function() {
         });
       }
 
-      await switchToMaster();
+      await switchToCleanBranch();
     }
     // create PRs here
     for (const { dependency, branch, branchIsRemote } of pendingPRs) {
diff --git a/script/lib/update-dependency/spec/git-spec.js b/script/lib/update-dependency/spec/git-spec.js
index fca2ca76508..ed11c46b1c7 100644
--- a/script/lib/update-dependency/spec/git-spec.js
+++ b/script/lib/update-dependency/spec/git-spec.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const repositoryRootPath = path.resolve('.', 'fixtures', 'dummy');
 const git = simpleGit(repositoryRootPath);
 
 const {
-  switchToMaster,
+  switchToCleanBranch,
   makeBranch,
   publishBranch,
   createCommit,
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ describe('GIT', () => {
   const branch = `${dependency.moduleName}-${dependency.latest}`;
 
   beforeEach(async () => {
-    await git.checkout('master');
+    await git.checkout('clean-branch');
   });
 
   it('remotes should include ATOM', async () => {
@@ -31,14 +31,14 @@ describe('GIT', () => {
     expect(remotes.map(({ name }) => name).includes('ATOM')).toBeTruthy();
   });
 
-  it('current branch should be master', async () => {
+  it('current branch should be clean-branch', async () => {
     const testBranchExists = await findBranch('test');
     testBranchExists
       ? await git.checkout('test')
       : await git.checkoutLocalBranch('test');
     expect((await git.branch()).current).toBe('test');
-    await switchToMaster();
-    expect((await git.branch()).current).toBe('master');
+    await switchToCleanBranch();
+    expect((await git.branch()).current).toBe('clean-branch');
     await git.deleteLocalBranch('test', true);
   });
 
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ describe('GIT', () => {
     expect(found).toBe(undefined);
     expect(newBranch).toBe(branch);
     expect((await git.branch()).current).toBe(branch);
-    await git.checkout('master');
+    await git.checkout('clean-branch');
     await git.deleteLocalBranch(branch, true);
   });
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ describe('GIT', () => {
     const { found } = await makeBranch(dependency);
     expect(found).not.toBe(undefined);
     expect((await git.branch()).current).toBe(found);
-    await git.checkout('master');
+    await git.checkout('clean-branch');
     await git.deleteLocalBranch(branch, true);
   });
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ describe('GIT', () => {
 
   it('should delete an existing branch', async () => {
     await git.checkoutLocalBranch(branch);
-    await git.checkout('master');
+    await git.checkout('clean-branch');
     expect(await findBranch(branch)).not.toBe(undefined);
     await deleteBranch(branch);
     expect(await findBranch(branch)).toBe(undefined);