diff --git a/tests/tools/private/release/release_test.py b/tests/tools/private/release/release_test.py
index a1467d8987..293b82b277 100644
--- a/tests/tools/private/release/release_test.py
+++ b/tests/tools/private/release/release_test.py
@@ -591,6 +591,10 @@ def setUp(self):
         self.mock_get_latest_version = patch(
             "tools.private.release.utils.get_latest_version"
         ).start()
+        self.mock_get_current_branch = patch(
+            "tools.private.release.git.get_current_branch"
+        ).start()
+        self.mock_get_current_branch.return_value = "main"
         self.addCleanup(patch.stopall)
 
     def test_no_markers(self):
@@ -825,7 +829,7 @@ def test_prepare_use_associated_pr_from_tracking_issue(
         self.mock_git.checkout.assert_called_once_with("prepare-2.0.0")
         self.mock_git.commit.assert_not_called()
         self.mock_git.push.assert_called_once_with(
-            "origin", "prepare-2.0.0", set_upstream=True
+            "origin", "prepare-2.0.0", set_upstream=True, force=True
         )
         self.mock_gh.get_open_pr.assert_called_once_with("prepare-2.0.0")
         self.mock_gh.create_pr.assert_not_called()  # Should NOT create a new PR
@@ -855,7 +859,7 @@ def test_prepare_create_pr_when_none_associated(self, mock_replace, mock_changel
         self.mock_git.checkout.assert_called_once_with("prepare-2.0.0")
         self.mock_git.commit.assert_not_called()
         self.mock_git.push.assert_called_once_with(
-            "origin", "prepare-2.0.0", set_upstream=True
+            "origin", "prepare-2.0.0", set_upstream=True, force=True
         )
         self.mock_gh.get_open_pr.assert_called_once_with("prepare-2.0.0")
         self.mock_gh.create_pr.assert_called_once_with("2.0.0", 123)
@@ -886,7 +890,7 @@ def test_prepare_reuse_existing_pr(self, mock_replace, mock_changelog):
         self.mock_git.checkout.assert_called_once_with("prepare-2.0.0")
         self.mock_git.commit.assert_not_called()
         self.mock_git.push.assert_called_once_with(
-            "origin", "prepare-2.0.0", set_upstream=True
+            "origin", "prepare-2.0.0", set_upstream=True, force=True
         )
         self.mock_gh.get_open_pr.assert_called_once_with("prepare-2.0.0")
         self.mock_gh.create_pr.assert_not_called()
diff --git a/tools/private/release/git.py b/tools/private/release/git.py
index 9c2662d4e6..ed6e637d3f 100644
--- a/tools/private/release/git.py
+++ b/tools/private/release/git.py
@@ -41,11 +41,13 @@ def commit(message, amend=False, no_edit=False):
     run_cmd(*cmd, capture_output=False)
 
 
-def push(remote, ref, set_upstream=False):
+def push(remote, ref, set_upstream=False, force=False):
     """Pushes a reference to a remote repository."""
     cmd = ["git", "push"]
     if set_upstream:
-        cmd.append("-u")
+        cmd.append("--set-upstream")
+    if force:
+        cmd.append("--force")
     cmd.extend([remote, ref])
     run_cmd(*cmd, capture_output=False)
 
@@ -128,8 +130,5 @@ def get_tags_at_head():
 
 
 def get_current_branch():
-    """Returns the current git branch name, or None if not in a git repo."""
-    try:
-        return run_cmd("git", "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD")
-    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-        return None
+    """Returns the current git branch name."""
+    return run_cmd("git", "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD")
diff --git a/tools/private/release/prepare.py b/tools/private/release/prepare.py
index c9012e0d04..2d32ee4de0 100644
--- a/tools/private/release/prepare.py
+++ b/tools/private/release/prepare.py
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ def cmd_prepare(args):
             print("No files modified by the release tool. Nothing to commit.")
 
         print(f"Pushing branch {branch_name} to origin...")
-        git.push("origin", branch_name, set_upstream=True)
+        # Force push to overwrite the remote branch if it already exists (e.g. from a previous run)
+        git.push("origin", branch_name, set_upstream=True, force=True)
 
     # --- Create PR ---
     # Determine if we need to create a PR or reuse an existing one