diff --git a/doc/build-macos.md b/doc/build-macos.md
index 1c8d2ebd92..7a1c324cbb 100644
--- a/doc/build-macos.md
+++ b/doc/build-macos.md
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ Build Gridcoin
 1. Clone the Gridcoin source code and cd into "Gridcoin-Research".
 
     	 git clone https://github.com/gridcoin/Gridcoin-Research
+         git checkout master
     	 cd Gridcoin-Research
 
 2.  Build Gridcoin:
diff --git a/doc/build-unix.md b/doc/build-unix.md
index 9b6afca274..f5200870fe 100644
--- a/doc/build-unix.md
+++ b/doc/build-unix.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Clone the repository and cd into it:
 
 ```bash
 git clone https://github.com/gridcoin-community/Gridcoin-Research
+git checkout master
 cd Gridcoin-Research
 ```
 Go to platform specific instructions for the required dependencies below.
@@ -203,6 +204,7 @@ This example lists the steps necessary to setup and build a command line only of
 
     pacman -S git base-devel boost libevent python
     git clone https://github.com/gridcoin/Gridcoin-Research.git
+    git checkout master
     cd Gridcoin-Research/
     ./autogen.sh
     ./configure --without-gui --without-miniupnpc
diff --git a/doc/build-windows.md b/doc/build-windows.md
index 95fbd89043..d02eb0f439 100644
--- a/doc/build-windows.md
+++ b/doc/build-windows.md
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ packages need to build host utilities that are used in the build process.
 Acquire the source in the usual way:
 
     git clone https://github.com/gridcoin-community/Gridcoin-Research.git
+    git checkout master
     cd Gridcoin-Research
 
 ## Building for 64-bit Windows