diff --git a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
index a7100a6ae9..9a29c7f090 100644
--- a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ def _require_tag_on_all_repos(deliv, current_release, eol_or_em, context):
 @skip_existing_tags
 @applies_to_released
 def validate_series_eol(deliv, context):
-    "The EOL tag should be applied to all repositories."
+    """The EOL tag should be applied to all repositories."""
 
     current_release = deliv.releases[-1]
 
@@ -421,6 +421,9 @@ def validate_series_eol(deliv, context):
         print('this rule only applies when tagging a series as end-of-life')
         return
 
+    if len(deliv.branches) == 0:
+        context.error('only branched deliverables can be tagged EOL')
+
     _require_tag_on_all_repos(
         deliv,
         current_release,
@@ -448,6 +451,9 @@ def validate_series_em(deliv, context):
               'release was not actually done for the series.')
         return
 
+    if len(deliv.branches) == 0:
+        context.error('only branched deliverables can be tagged EM')
+
     _require_tag_on_all_repos(
         deliv,
         current_release,
diff --git a/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py b/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
index 5035de74bd..d3655e5e59 100644
--- a/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
@@ -3124,10 +3124,17 @@ class TestValidateSeriesEOL(base.BaseTestCase):
         ---
         team: Release Management
         releases:
+          - version: 1.5.2
+            projects:
+              - repo: openstack/automaton
+                hash: ce2885f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd
           - version: newton-eol
             projects:
               - repo: openstack/automaton
                 hash: be2885f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd
+        branches:
+          - name: stable/newton
+            location: 1.5.2
         '''))
         deliv = deliverable.Deliverable(
             None,
@@ -3152,6 +3159,9 @@ class TestValidateSeriesEOL(base.BaseTestCase):
             projects:
               - repo: openstack/automaton
                 hash: ce2885f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd
+        branches:
+          - name: stable/newton
+            location: 1.2.3
         repository-settings:
           openstack/automaton: {}
           openstack/release-test: {}
@@ -3170,6 +3180,32 @@ class TestValidateSeriesEOL(base.BaseTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(0, len(self.ctx.warnings))
         self.assertEqual(1, len(self.ctx.errors))
 
+    def test_eol_branchless(self):
+        deliverable_data = yamlutils.loads(textwrap.dedent('''
+        ---
+        team: Release Management
+        releases:
+          - version: newton-eol
+            projects:
+              - repo: openstack/automaton
+                hash: ce2885f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd
+        repository-settings:
+          openstack/automaton: {}
+        '''))
+        deliv = deliverable.Deliverable(
+            None,
+            'newton',
+            'test',
+            deliverable_data,
+        )
+        validate.validate_series_eol(
+            deliv,
+            self.ctx,
+        )
+        self.ctx.show_summary()
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(self.ctx.warnings))
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(self.ctx.errors))
+
 
 class TestValidateSeriesEM(base.BaseTestCase):
 
@@ -3266,6 +3302,9 @@ class TestValidateSeriesEM(base.BaseTestCase):
             projects:
               - repo: openstack/automaton
                 hash: be2885f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd
+        branches:
+          - name: stable/newton
+            location: 1.2.3
         '''))
         deliv = deliverable.Deliverable(
             None,
@@ -3322,6 +3361,9 @@ class TestValidateSeriesEM(base.BaseTestCase):
             projects:
               - repo: openstack/automaton
                 hash: be2885f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd
+        branches:
+          - name: stable/newton
+            location: 1.2.3
         repository-settings:
           openstack/automaton: {}
         '''))
@@ -3356,6 +3398,9 @@ class TestValidateSeriesEM(base.BaseTestCase):
             projects:
               - repo: openstack/automaton
                 hash: beef85f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd
+        branches:
+          - name: stable/newton
+            location: 1.2.3
         repository-settings:
           openstack/automaton: {}
         '''))
@@ -3386,6 +3431,9 @@ class TestValidateSeriesEM(base.BaseTestCase):
             projects:
               - repo: openstack/automaton
                 hash: be2885f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd
+        branches:
+          - name: stable/newton
+            location: 1.2.3
         repository-settings:
           openstack/automaton: {}
           openstack/release-test: {}
@@ -3404,6 +3452,34 @@ class TestValidateSeriesEM(base.BaseTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(0, len(self.ctx.warnings))
         self.assertEqual(1, len(self.ctx.errors))
 
+    def test_em_branchless(self):
+        deliverable_data = yamlutils.loads(textwrap.dedent('''
+        ---
+        team: Release Management
+        releases:
+          - version: 1.2.3
+            projects:
+              - repo: openstack/automaton
+                hash: be2885f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd
+          - version: newton-em
+            projects:
+              - repo: openstack/automaton
+                hash: be2885f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd
+        '''))
+        deliv = deliverable.Deliverable(
+            None,
+            'newton',
+            'test',
+            deliverable_data,
+        )
+        validate.validate_series_em(
+            deliv,
+            self.ctx,
+        )
+        self.ctx.show_summary()
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(self.ctx.warnings))
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(self.ctx.errors))
+
 
 class TestValidatePreReleaseProgression(base.BaseTestCase):