diff --git a/merge-request-check/approval_check.py b/merge-request-check/approval_check.py
index 45e70197a8b2137bba7b5ce02718ad5b99d5fc30..5585038f94fc22e6c8543d9156a0435bb0225252 100644
--- a/merge-request-check/approval_check.py
+++ b/merge-request-check/approval_check.py
@@ -11,11 +11,15 @@ This is primarily intended to act as an approval step for outside developers
 using our hosting stack and CI/CD processes.
 '''
 
+if os.environ.get('CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE ') == 'merge_request_event':
+    branch = os.environ.get('CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME')
+else:
+    branch = os.environ.get('CI_COMMIT_BRANCH')
 
 response = requests.post('https://its-lampprod1-whm.unl.edu/merge_auth_check.php', data={
     'repo': os.environ.get('CI_PROJECT_PATH'),
     'sha': os.environ.get('CI_COMMIT_SHA'),
-    'branch': os.environ.get('CI_COMMIT_BRANCH'),
+    'branch': branch,
     'user': os.environ.get('GITLAB_USER_LOGIN')
 })