diff --git a/lib/release/base.rb b/lib/release/base.rb
index 47c3156..5635fac 100644
--- a/lib/release/base.rb
+++ b/lib/release/base.rb
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ module Release
         error "Version does not exist: #{git_local_list_tags.join(' ')}" unless git_local_list_tags.include? "v#{version}"
       end
 
+      def validate_current_branch_is_release
+        error "Invalid release branch: #{current_branch}" unless current_branch =~ /\d+\.\d+\.\d+/
+      end
+
       def validate_current_branch_master
         error "Invalid starting branch: #{current_branch}.  Try switching to #{standard_branches.join(' ')}."  unless standard_branches.include? current_branch
       end
diff --git a/lib/release/trash.rb b/lib/release/trash.rb
index a3e8941..70a9433 100644
--- a/lib/release/trash.rb
+++ b/lib/release/trash.rb
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ module Release
 
       release_branch  = current_branch
 
-      error "missing confirmation of branch: #{release_branch}" if confirmation_branch == ''
-      error "confirmation branch does not match current branch: #{confirmation_branch} vs #{release_branch}" if release_branch != confirmation_branch
-      error "invalid release branch: #{release_branch}" unless current_branch =~ /\d+\.\d+\.\d+/
+      error "Missing confirmation of branch: #{release_branch}" if confirmation_branch == ''
+      error "Confirmation branch does not match current branch: #{confirmation_branch} vs #{release_branch}" if release_branch != confirmation_branch
+      validate_current_branch_is_release
 
       git_checkout 'master'