diff --git a/admin/index.php b/admin/index.php
index 66f3abbe052..6ef4b206b51 100644
--- a/admin/index.php
+++ b/admin/index.php
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ if (!isset($CFG->release)) {
 if (!isset($CFG->version)) {
     $CFG->version = '';
 }
+if (!isset($CFG->branch)) {
+    $CFG->branch = '';
+}
 
 $version = null;
 $release = null;
diff --git a/lib/installlib.php b/lib/installlib.php
index 3fe112b5b40..e652a8c6267 100644
--- a/lib/installlib.php
+++ b/lib/installlib.php
@@ -409,8 +409,11 @@ function install_cli_database(array $options, $interactive) {
 
     $CFG->version = '';
     $CFG->release = '';
+    $CFG->branch = '';
+
     $version = null;
     $release = null;
+    $branch = null;
 
     // read $version and $release
     require($CFG->dirroot.'/version.php');