diff --git a/.semaphore/semaphore-runner.sh b/.semaphore/semaphore-runner.sh
index 755de22cf61..bc0cb6a9005 100755
--- a/.semaphore/semaphore-runner.sh
+++ b/.semaphore/semaphore-runner.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ set -o pipefail
 DISTRO="${DISTRO:-debian}"
 RELEASE="${RELEASE:-bookworm}"
 SALSA_URL="${SALSA_URL:-https://salsa.debian.org/systemd-team/systemd.git}"
-BRANCH="${BRANCH:-debian/master}"
+BRANCH="${BRANCH:-ci/v256-stable}"
 ARCH="${ARCH:-amd64}"
 CONTAINER="${RELEASE}-${ARCH}"
 CACHE_DIR="${SEMAPHORE_CACHE_DIR:-/tmp}"