diff --git a/.branch b/.branch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 8713afc6d6..a963dc1fc5 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ set(GLOBAL PROPERTY NEO_OCL_COMPONENTS_LIST "")
 define_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY NEO_L0_COMPONENTS_LIST BRIEF_DOCS "List of components" FULL_DOCS "List of components to create packages")
 set(GLOBAL PROPERTY NEO_L0_COMPONENTS_LIST "")
 
-set(BRANCH_TYPE "")
+file(READ ".branch" BRANCH_TYPE)
+string(STRIP "${BRANCH_TYPE}" BRANCH_TYPE)
 set(BRANCH_DIR_SUFFIX "/${BRANCH_TYPE}")
 list(APPEND BRANCH_DIR_LIST "/")
 if(NOT "${BRANCH_TYPE}" STREQUAL "")