diff --git a/scripts/test-commit-messages.js b/scripts/test-commit-messages.js
index a173e6105763..c888cf1fa9d3 100644
--- a/scripts/test-commit-messages.js
+++ b/scripts/test-commit-messages.js
@@ -2,14 +2,10 @@
 
 require('../lib/bootstrap-local');
 
-const fs = require('fs');
-const path = require('path');
 const validateCommitMessage = require('./validate-commit-message');
 const execSync = require('child_process').execSync;
 const chalk = require('chalk');
 const Logger = require('@ngtools/logger').Logger;
-const configPath = path.resolve(__dirname, './validate-commit-message/commit-message.json');
-const config = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(configPath, 'utf8'));
 require('rxjs/add/operator/filter');
 
 // Configure logger
@@ -38,54 +34,21 @@ logger
 // Note: This is based on the gulp task found in the angular/angular repository
 execSync('git fetch origin');
 
-// Find the branch
-const branchRefs = {};
-for (const name of config['branches']) {
-  try {
-    const output = execSync(`git show-ref --hash ${name}`, { encoding: 'utf-8' });
-    if (output) {
-      branchRefs[name] = output.replace(/\n/g, '').trim();
-    }
-  } catch (e) {
-    // Ignore.
-  }
-}
-logger.info(`Found refs for branches:\n  ${Object.keys(branchRefs).map(key => {
-  return `${key} => ${JSON.stringify(branchRefs[key])}`;
-}).join('\n  ')}`);
 
-
-const output = execSync('git log --format="%H %s" --no-merges', { encoding: 'utf-8' });
+const output = execSync('git log master.. --reverse --format="%H %s" --no-merges', {
+  encoding: 'utf-8'
+});
 
 if (output.length === 0) {
   logger.warn('There are zero new commits between this HEAD and master');
   process.exit(0);
 }
+const commitsByLine = output.trim().split(/\n/).map(line => {
+  return line.trim().split(' ').slice(1).join(' ');
+});
+logger.info(`Examining ${commitsByLine.length} commit(s) between HEAD and master`);
 
-const commitsByLine = [];
-let branch = null;
-
-// Finding the closest branch marker.
-for (const line of output.split(/\n/)) {
-  const [hash, ...messageArray] = line.split(' ');
-  const message = messageArray.join(' ');
-
-  const maybeBranch = Object.keys(branchRefs).find(branchName => branchRefs[branchName] === hash);
-  if (maybeBranch) {
-    branch = maybeBranch;
-    break;
-  }
-  commitsByLine.push(message);
-}
-
-if (!branch) {
-  logger.fatal('Something wrong happened.');
-  process.exit(1);
-}
-
-logger.info(`Examining ${commitsByLine.length} commit(s) between HEAD and ${branch}`);
-
-const someCommitsInvalid = !commitsByLine.every(message => validateCommitMessage(message, branch));
+const someCommitsInvalid = !commitsByLine.every(message => validateCommitMessage(message));
 
 if (someCommitsInvalid) {
   logger.error('Please fix the failing commit messages before continuing...');
diff --git a/scripts/validate-commit-message/commit-message.json b/scripts/validate-commit-message/commit-message.json
index 9cbfdaa65fc3..9a73359ccf0d 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-commit-message/commit-message.json
+++ b/scripts/validate-commit-message/commit-message.json
@@ -4,16 +4,12 @@
     "build": "",
     "ci": "",
     "docs": "",
-    "feat": "origin/1.1.x",
+    "feat": "",
     "fix": "",
     "perf": "",
     "refactor": "",
     "style": "",
     "test": "",
     "tool": ""
-  },
-  "branches": [
-    "origin/master",
-    "origin/1.1.x"
-  ]
+  }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/validate-commit-message/validate-commit-message.js b/scripts/validate-commit-message/validate-commit-message.js
index 0a341431dd84..2139064524ee 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-commit-message/validate-commit-message.js
+++ b/scripts/validate-commit-message/validate-commit-message.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ const config = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(configPath, 'utf8'));
 const { packages, tools } = require('../../lib/packages');
 const PATTERN = /^(revert\: )?(\w+)(?:\(([^)]+)\))?\: (.+)$/;
 
-module.exports = function(commitSubject, branch) {
+module.exports = function(commitSubject) {
   if (commitSubject.length > config['maxLength']) {
     error(`The commit message is longer than ${config['maxLength']} characters`, commitSubject);
     return false;
@@ -43,10 +43,6 @@ module.exports = function(commitSubject, branch) {
     error(`"${type}" is not an allowed type.\n => TYPES: "${types.join('", "')}"`, commitSubject);
     return false;
   }
-  if (config['types'][type] !== '' && config['types'][type] !== branch) {
-    error(`${type} is not allowed to be on branch ${branch}.`, commitSubject);
-    return false;
-  }
 
   const scope = match[3];
   const allScopes = Object.keys(packages).concat(Object.keys(tools));