diff --git a/deliverables/victoria/release-test.yaml b/deliverables/victoria/release-test.yaml
index b55e0a4b45..195ffd225b 100644
--- a/deliverables/victoria/release-test.yaml
+++ b/deliverables/victoria/release-test.yaml
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ releases:
     projects:
       - repo: openstack/release-test
         hash: 371d36be8f6c72900fd99fcba3b4e1aad0c8eb4e
+  - version: 3.2.0
+    projects:
+      - repo: openstack/release-test
+        hash: 371d36be8f6c72900fd99fcba3b4e1aad0c8eb4e
 branches:
-  - name: stable/3.1
-    location: 3.1.0
+  - name: bugfix/3.2
+    location: 3.2.0
diff --git a/doc/source/reference/using.rst b/doc/source/reference/using.rst
index 347b85138e..621f413647 100644
--- a/doc/source/reference/using.rst
+++ b/doc/source/reference/using.rst
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ The top level of a deliverable file is a mapping with keys:
     addition that version-based branches can be created as well.
 
     These version-based branches are shorter term stable branches that
-    are named for the major and minor version number (e.g. stable/3.1).
+    are named for the major and minor version number (e.g. bugfix/3.1).
     This is primarily used for Ironic releases.
 
   ``tagless``
diff --git a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
index 1b66bfceac..8430a894d9 100644
--- a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ _USES_PREVER = set([
 _VALID_BRANCH_PREFIXES = set([
     'stable',
     'feature',
+    'bugfix',
 ])
 
 _NO_STABLE_BRANCH_CHECK = set([
@@ -1505,8 +1506,8 @@ def validate_stable_branches(deliv, context):
                 ('stable branch name expected to be stable/name '
                  'but got %s') % (branch.name,))
             continue
-        if prefix != 'stable':
-            print('{} is not a stable branch, skipping'.format(
+        if prefix != 'stable' and prefix != 'bugfix':
+            print('{} is not a stable or bugfix branch, skipping'.format(
                 branch.name))
             continue
 
@@ -1529,9 +1530,10 @@ def validate_stable_branches(deliv, context):
                 )
                 return
             branch_exists = all(
-                gitutils.stable_branch_exists(
+                gitutils.branch_exists(
                     context.workdir,
                     repo,
+                    prefix,
                     series,
                 )
                 for repo in deliv.known_repo_names if
@@ -1542,9 +1544,10 @@ def validate_stable_branches(deliv, context):
                     branch.name))
                 continue
 
-            if deliv.is_independent:
+            if deliv.is_independent or prefix == 'bugfix':
                 print('"latest release" rule does not apply '
-                      'to independent repositories, skipping')
+                      'to independent repositories or bugfix '
+                      'branches, skipping')
             else:
                 latest_release = deliv.releases[-1]
                 if location != latest_release.version:
@@ -1614,15 +1617,15 @@ def validate_stable_branches(deliv, context):
         else:
             if series != deliv.series:
                 if branch_mode == 'std-with-versions':
-                    # Not a normal stable branch, so it must be a version
-                    # branch (stable/3.1)
+                    # Not a normal stable branch, so it must be a versioned
+                    # bugfix branch (bugfix/3.1)
                     expected_version = '.'.join(location.split('.')[0:2])
                     if series != expected_version:
                         context.error(
                             'cycle-based projects must match series names '
                             'for stable branches, or branch based on version '
                             'for short term support. %s should be stable/%s '
-                            'or stable/%s' % (
+                            'or bugfix/%s' % (
                                 branch.name, deliv.series, expected_version))
                 else:
                     context.error(
diff --git a/openstack_releases/gitutils.py b/openstack_releases/gitutils.py
index 0c23b28947..db395896c4 100644
--- a/openstack_releases/gitutils.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/gitutils.py
@@ -204,9 +204,16 @@ def _filter_branches(output):
     ]
 
 
-def stable_branch_exists(workdir, repo, series):
-    "Does the stable/series branch exist?"
-    remote_match = 'remotes/origin/stable/%s' % series
+def branch_exists(workdir, repo, prefix, identifier):
+    """Does the prefix/identifier branch exist.
+
+    Checks if a named branch already exists.
+    :param workdir: The working directory for the local clone.
+    :param repo: The name of the repo.
+    :param prefix: The branch prefix (e.g. "stable" or "bugfix").
+    :param idenifier: The branch identifier (series name or version).
+    """
+    remote_match = 'remotes/origin/{}/{}'.format(prefix, identifier)
     try:
         containing_branches = _filter_branches(
             processutils.check_output(
@@ -222,6 +229,11 @@ def stable_branch_exists(workdir, repo, series):
         return False
 
 
+def stable_branch_exists(workdir, repo, series):
+    "Does the stable/series branch exist?"
+    return branch_exists(workdir, repo, 'stable', series)
+
+
 def check_branch_sha(workdir, repo, series, sha):
     """Check if the SHA is in the targeted branch.