diff --git a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
index d7a6f6bf18..ac3467141f 100644
--- a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def validate_series_open(deliverable_info,
         if branch['name'] == expected_branch:
             # Everything is OK
             return
-    mk_error(
+    mk_warning(
         'There is no {} branch defined in {}. Is the {} series open?'.format(
             expected_branch, previous_deliverable_file, series_name))
 
diff --git a/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py b/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
index ff55e60ebe..2e77db7a4e 100644
--- a/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
@@ -1476,5 +1476,5 @@ class TestValidateSeriesOpen(base.BaseTestCase):
             errors.append,
         )
         print(warnings, errors)
-        self.assertEqual(0, len(warnings))
-        self.assertEqual(1, len(errors))
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(warnings))
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(errors))