diff --git a/local-build.sh b/local-build.sh
index a8a18b6..fb537a9 100755
--- a/local-build.sh
+++ b/local-build.sh
@@ -29,19 +29,29 @@ esac
 CURRENT_BRANCH="$(git -C "${SCRIPT_DIR}" branch --show-current 2>/dev/null || echo '')"
 
 if [[ "${CURRENT_BRANCH}" != "${PRODUCT_BRANCH}" ]]; then
+    # Resolve the git ref: prefer local branch, fall back to remote tracking branch
+    if git -C "${SCRIPT_DIR}" rev-parse --verify "${PRODUCT_BRANCH}" &>/dev/null; then
+        GIT_REF="${PRODUCT_BRANCH}"
+    elif git -C "${SCRIPT_DIR}" rev-parse --verify "origin/${PRODUCT_BRANCH}" &>/dev/null; then
+        GIT_REF="origin/${PRODUCT_BRANCH}"
+    else
+        echo "ERROR: branch '${PRODUCT_BRANCH}' not found locally or as origin/${PRODUCT_BRANCH}" >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
     # Extract files/ from the correct branch into a temporary directory
-    echo "==> Current branch is '${CURRENT_BRANCH}'; extracting ${PRODUCT} build files from '${PRODUCT_BRANCH}'"
+    echo "==> Current branch is '${CURRENT_BRANCH}'; extracting ${PRODUCT} build files from '${GIT_REF}'"
     BUILD_FILES_DIR="$(mktemp -d)"
     trap 'rm -rf "${BUILD_FILES_DIR}"' EXIT
 
     git -C "${SCRIPT_DIR}" show \
-        "${PRODUCT_BRANCH}:files/add-${PRODUCT}-support.sh" \
+        "${GIT_REF}:files/add-${PRODUCT}-support.sh" \
         > "${BUILD_FILES_DIR}/add-${PRODUCT}-support.sh"
 
     while IFS= read -r patch; do
-        git -C "${SCRIPT_DIR}" show "${PRODUCT_BRANCH}:files/${patch}" \
+        git -C "${SCRIPT_DIR}" show "${GIT_REF}:files/${patch}" \
             > "${BUILD_FILES_DIR}/${patch}"
-    done < <(git -C "${SCRIPT_DIR}" ls-tree --name-only "${PRODUCT_BRANCH}:files/" \
+    done < <(git -C "${SCRIPT_DIR}" ls-tree --name-only "${GIT_REF}:files/" \
         | grep '\.patch$')
 else
     BUILD_FILES_DIR="${SCRIPT_DIR}/files"