diff --git a/tools/webdoc b/tools/webdoc
index 5984b74..0f887ae 100755
--- a/tools/webdoc
+++ b/tools/webdoc
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ webify()
 }
 
 # generate the documentation from the master branch
-git checkout master \
+git checkout "${WEBDOC_BRANCH:-origin/master}" \
   && make doc-html \
   && git checkout - \
     && webify "$path_doc_single" \